The Life And Times Of Red X
by RySenkari
Summary: Who is Red X? Man? Woman? Boy? Girl? Hero? Villain? Mystery? Enigma? Pretty soon, everyone will know who he is... and what happens when certain people find out.
1. Mystery Wrapped In An Enigma

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Teen Titans. If I did, this would be on TV and not here.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This doesn't take place in the same storyline as my "Forced Base" and "Fractured Heart" stories, so forget those when you're reading this. Also, this takes place after the fourth season, so anything that happens in the show after that isn't applicable to this.

O-O-O

A simple assignment. Break into Lysentia Research and Development Corporation Storage Facility, penetrate deep into the heart of their defenses, and retrieve the treasure inside.

Simple for a thief who knew what he was doing. Simple for someone with resolve and wanton disdain for the rules of society.

Simple for someone like Red X.

The storage facility's defenses were quite tenacious, but Red X had rendered them useless within ten minutes. Fairly impressive for someone without the use of his gadgets... oh sure, it had been a piece of cake for Red X to recapture his belt from Titans Tower. Wait until the Titans were out on a mission, sneak in... the fools had left it in the same place where the suit had been kept so long ago.

But without Xynothium, the gadgets were useless. Xynothium, a synthetic substance that powered the suit, a miracle polymer that could be used to form hundreds of composites, tools, even weapons, was extremely hard to come by, so hard, in fact, that the military, who had originally commissioned its creation and manufacture, had all but abandoned its funding of any further Xynothium-based projects.

That was until a Lysentia scientist found the secret that would potentially put Xynothium in the hands of every soldier in the army... and maybe, eventually, every household in the nation. A self-sustaining Xynothium reactor... an almost limitless supply... in a capsule the size of a softball.

A scientist wasn't nearly as secure as the reactor would be. All Red X had to do was sneak inside the man's house, look through a few files, and with just a few hours of work, he'd made it all the way to the reactor room, without the use of gadgets, or even force... just the ingenuity and swiftness of a thief.

The reactor itself was kept on a tall, cylindrical pedestal in the middle of a long, dark room, lit only by several spotlights that shined down from the ceiling, about twelve feet above the floor. Several pillars interspersed throughout the room concealed security cameras, and a complex laser grid on the floor detected anyone foolish enough to try and steal the reactor.

Red X was no fool. The security guard monitoring the room was asleep on the job... Red X had made sure of that. And tripping the laser grid wouldn't be a problem once he'd stolen the reactor. Once he took the reactor, his gadgets would be up and running, and he'd have no problem taking out anyone that happened to show up.

The thief had one problem. As soon as he began traversing the room and the eighty-foot distance to the reactor... _they _appeared.

"Yo, didn't your mom ever tell you it's not right to take stuff that doesn't belong to you?"

Cyborg... X knew him well. He turned around... and all five Titans were facing him, standing in front of the entrance, simultaneously the room's only exit. He turned back toward the reactor... and Robin, the Titans' leader, suddenly leapt in front of him.

"You may have the suit, and the belt, but without Xynothium, both of those are useless," said Robin, extending his bo staff. "You might as well give up now!"

"Five-on-one on a defenseless man?" said Red X sarcastically. "I thought you Titans liked to fight fair."

"This doesn't have to be a fight if you just come quietly," Robin replied. "I'm warning you..."

Red X had come to get the reactor, and no Teen Titan, not even five of them, were going to stop him. He lunged forward with a sweeping kick aimed directly at the Boy Wonder's head... but Robin was clearly ready, ducking under the kick and grabbing Red X's outstretched leg. With strength unbecoming of such a seemingly scrawny young superhero, Robin swung Red X hard to the ground, his face impacting hard on the metallic floor of the reactor room. Red X hopped to his feet and continued running, Robin's move having brought him a few feet closer to the prize on the pedestal. Suddenly, a black energy portal materialized in front of Red X's face, swirling and coalescing into the form of Raven, who didn't seem too happy about having to face the thief a second time.

"Hey now, I helped you guys," said Red X, his hands outstretched in a friendly, pleading gesture. "The least you could do is make this a bit easier for-"

"Azarath, metreon, zinthos!"

Raven's familiar chant was soon accompanied by a blast of energy that slammed into Red X's chest and knocked him flat to the ground, skidding several feet along the floor before finally coming to a stop a short distance away from where Robin had knocked him to the ground earlier. He stood up and looked around... the five Titans had completely surrounded him.

__

"Well, this fell apart pretty quickly..."

Red X hadn't expected the Titans to interfere with his raid, despite everything he knew about them that should have indicated otherwise. He knew that without the use of his gadgets, he'd be hard-pressed to take even one of the Titans down, let alone all of them.

__

"I've prepared for this," thought Red X, his hand reaching down to one of his pockets. _"I'm going to get that reactor... and no one's going to stop me."_

"Please, just give up and come with us," said Starfire, extending her hand out to Red X. "You do not have your gadgets, and if you try to fight us, we will be forced to-"

Sweet, loving Starfire. Always the first to try and reason with the enemy... not wanting to fight, but vicious when she needed to be. Red X's eyes scanned the room... the reactor was directly behind Robin. If he could just...

"Dude, it's over!" shouted Beast Boy.

"It's never over," shouted Red X, withdrawing his hand from his pocket and throwing a handful of pepper into Robin's face. The pepper cloud sifted through Robin's mask, stinging his eyes and immediately bringing him to one knee. Red X rushed forward, kicking Robin in the face and knocking him back into a pillar. Then, he dashed for the pillar immediately behind it, crouching down and smiling as several Starbolts exploded against the back of the metallic structure, creating a cloud of smoke that allowed Red X to get even closer to the reactor. He ran as fast as he could, leaping over one of Cyborg's blasts and stretching out his hand to gain his prize. _"All in a day's work..."_

But to Red X's horror, the reactor suddenly became engulfed in darkness, floating away from his hands and into the hands of Raven, standing in the center of the room, more than ten yards away. Red X turned around and was suddenly tackled by Beast Boy, who had transformed into a horned ram, building up a head of steam and plowing Red X into the pedestal.

The blow was effective, and the thief's chest suddenly flared up with pain, causing him to release a pained groan. He rose to his feet and could still see Raven standing halfway across the room, protectively clutching his rightfully earned prize in her small, pale hands.

Beast Boy had leapt back, still in ram form and stroking his hoof across the floor, readying himself for another charge.

__

"This is almost too easy," thought Red X, leaping over Beast Boy and hearing the glorious sound of his outwitted green foe slamming headfirst into the hard metallic pedestal. _"Of course, it's not all that hard to outwit that idiot..."_

Now, nothing stood began Red X and the reactor. He ran toward Raven, who stood unflinching in his path. Soon, he realized why. Robin, Starfire, and Cyborg immediately leapt to her aid, standing in front of Raven, all ready to block Red X from obtaining the reactor. Robin was still rubbing his eyes from the effect of the stinging pepper.

"Give it up!" shouted Robin, pointing his bo staff at Red X, an angry scowl on his face. "This is a pointless fight!"

"Then why are you trying to hard to win?" asked Red X, his tone of voice mocking the Boy Wonder. Robin let out an angry cry, swinging the bo staff at Red X, who leapt up to avoid it. _"Now for a different strategy..."_

Red X leapt upon the bo staff itself, skipping off the edge and striking Robin in the face with a hard kick. As Robin fell back, Red X took another leap, jumping past Starfire and Cyborg and tackling Raven hard to the ground. As soon as he did, a powerful blast of dark energy struck him in the chest, sending him flying back into a pillar. Raven stood up and stumbled backward, her hands still glowing from the blast. Immediately, she realized something was wrong, and Starfire confirmed her suspicions.

"Raven... the reactor... it is gone!"

__

"Quick hands and even quicker decisions... the true secret to effective thievery," thought Red X, who had grabbed the reactor from Raven in the split-second before she'd been able to blast him. He'd held onto his prize even as he slammed into the pillar, and now, as he quickly placed the reactor on the back of his suit in the place usually reserved for Xynothium refills, quickly hooking it into the suit and making it impossible for anyone to remove it, he finally allowed himself to smile. _"Of course, a good grip always helps."_

Red X quickly stood up, shaking off the pain from his latest impact and surveying his surroundings. The five Titans had regrouped, and were now facing him down, determined not to allow the thief to leave. The reactor had been absorbed into the suit and was now completely invisible... reclaiming it would be an impossibility. But the Titans were still intent on capturing the thief... something Red X would simply not allow.

"Titans... go!" shouted Robin, ordering the team into battle. Red X crouched into a fighting position, once again feeling the potent Xynothium as it coursed through his suit. Starfire, Raven, Beast Boy, and Cyborg all came rushing forward at once, and Red X was ready, reaching down to his belt and withdrawing four small X-bombs. He hurled them at each of the attacking Titans, the bombs exploding simultaneously, creating a huge blast that threw all four of them back. Through the smoke, he could see Robin leaping toward him, bo staff fully extended. Red X pulled out another X and tossed it in Robin's path. As Robin's staff impacted the X, it sent out a sonic impact blast that coursed through the metal staff, shaking Robin to his knees.

"I think you need a time-out," said Red X, hurling another X to the ground, right under Robin's foot. As Robin tried to move, the X turned into a powerful glue that held the Boy Wonder in place, struggling to get away. Red X turned and dashed for the door, only to see the business end of a plasma cannon pointed directly in his face.

"You ain't goin' anywhere, dawg!" shouted Cyborg, firing a stream of blue plasma energy from his arm cannon that Red X was barely able to dodge by bending his body under the beam as it rushed past. He stood up and found himself in the path of another beam, this one coming in too fast for Red X to evade. It slammed into his face, knocking him to the ground and right into the path of a flurry of Starbolts.

__

"They sure don't take very long to recover from an explosion," thought Red X, rolling out of the path of the Starbolts and firing several Xs at Starfire's arms. The Xs turned into a thick, sticky goo on impact, covering Starfire's hands and making it impossible for her to fire any more bolts Red X's way. "That oughta cool you-"

"Azarath, metreon-"

It was Raven again, right behind Red X and ready to remove one of the room's support pillars to strike him with. Red X immediately thrust his hand forward and fired a sticky X from his palm that affixed itself to Raven's mouth, instantly stopping her attack sequence. Satisfied that he'd stopped Raven so easily, he turned his attention to Beast Boy, now transformed into a raging gorilla.

He'd ripped the pedestal loose from the floor, and tossed it at Red X with all of his might. Red X extended his other hand, firing several sharp metallic Xs that slashed the pedestal to pieces and embedded themselves into the wall. Then, he fired another large X that enclosed itself around Beast Boy's arms and chest, squeezing him tighter the more Red X closed his hand.

"Played Donkey Kong once... hated it," said Red X, constricting the metal X even further and causing gorilla Beast Boy to roar out a loud cry of pain. "Wonder what woulda happened if Mario had had one of these babies?"

"Azarath, metreon, zinthos!"

Before Red X could react, a large, metallic pillar slammed into his back, knocking him to the ground and trapping him underneath the enormous pillar's prodigious weight. As he weakly looked up, he could see Raven hovering over him, the X no longer on her face.

"You didn't think I'd be a very good Titan if the same trick worked on me twice, did you?" asked Raven, dropping the X onto the ground. "But nice try, though."

"I think you're gonna love this..." said Red X, reaching up and sticking a small X onto the pillar. Then, with a wave of his hand, the broken pillar rose up from the ground, hovering in the air as Red X stood up. "As you like to say... azarath, metreon, xynothium!"

The pillar suddenly rushed forward, smashing into Raven's chest and continuing back toward the wall. It hit Beast Boy just as he'd escaped from the X across his arms and chest, and smashed both him and Raven hard into the back wall before crumbling into pieces on top of them, leaving both superheroes buried in rubble. Red X turned back toward the entrance of the room, only to see Robin, Cyborg, and Starfire standing in his way.

"Surely you don't want what happened to your little friends happening to you as well," said Red X, menacingly beckoning the three Titans to attack. "I've got all the time, and all the Xynothium in the world."

"You're still not gonna like this!" Robin shouted, rushing forward and tossing a small, red and yellow device at Red X's chest. Red X tried to dodge it, but Robin's aim was sure, and the object quickly affixed itself to the thief, jolting him with a powerful electric current. As Red X stood in place, stunned by the gadget, Robin took out his bo staff and gave Red X several shots to the head and chest, sending him off-balance and knocking him to the ground yet again. Red X went to his belt, tossing an X at Robin's head, but Robin smacked it away with his staff and kicked Red X in the chest as he tried to stand. The kick caused Red X to stumble back, but this time he remained standing.

Robin continued rushing forward, swinging his bo staff at Red X nearly once a second. With every swing, Red X would pull out another X from his belt, the X flying forward and expanding into a shield that blocked Robin's attack. Finally, Red X had been backed up all the way to the pile of rubble at the rear of the room. As Robin swung his staff forward, Red X caught it in his hand.

"You... won't get away... with stealing the reactor..." said Robin, trying to free his staff from Red X's grip. "You still have to make it past all of us!"

Without a word, Red X reached into his staff with his other hand and hurled forward an X that pasted itself over Robin's eyes, blinding the Boy Wonder. As he stumbled back, Red X kicked him hard in the chest, knocking him away.

Before he could celebrate, however, the pile of rubble suddenly sprung to life, and Raven floated out of it, her eyes flashing with black light.

"Azarath, metreon, ZINTHOS!"

Raven fired an enormous dark energy blast at Red X, hitting him before his hand could even begin to reach for his belt. The blast detonated with incredible force, sending the thief flying all the way back across the room to the entrance. He hit the floor and skidded several feet before coming to a stop against the large metal door that he'd been trying to reach ever since taking the reactor. His entire body was racked with pain, but he stood up, smiling as the five Titans advanced toward him.

"It's over, X..." said Robin, peeling the sticky X from his eyes and leading the Titans toward the beleaguered thief. Red X took one look behind him and smiled, knowing the fight had been won.

"This time, you're right, kid... it is over."

Pulling one last X from his belt, he threw it just a few inches in front of his face. It immediately stretched out into a thin film that blocked off the area immediately in front of the door from the rest of the room, where the Titans were. The film quickly hardened into metallic Xynothium, something Red X knew the Titans wouldn't be able to break... at least not for a few minutes. More than enough time to make an escape. Then, Red X opened the gate and walked through... out into freedom.

"After him!" Starfire shouted, flying toward the gate but suddenly coming to a stop when her head slammed into the hardened Xynothium, hurling the poor Tamaranian girl back toward her friends. "What is this?"

Robin was the second Titan to reach the Xynothium barrier, striking it with his fists but being unable even to make a small dent.

"That's not good," said Cyborg, blasting the barrier with his plasma cannon but causing it little, if any damage. "He's trapped us in here!"

"Does that mean... that the Red X has escaped?" asked Starfire, sadly looking around at her friends.

"We HAD him!" shouted Robin, repeatedly pounding the barrier with his fists. "We had him!"

O-O-O

After making it past the Titans, the rest of the security was a cakewalk for Red X. Though his fight with the Titans in the reactor room had tripped the security lasers, triggering an alarm that sent hundreds of guards and police into the building, Red X was easily able to elude them, using explosive Xs and barrier Xs to stop the guards he couldn't slip away from.

Within a few minutes, Red X had left the building, running out into the city, his suit fully replenished by the Xynothium reactor. He finally had what he needed to truly be Red X again, the thief whose name was known throughout the city. In a few short months, he'd become a bit of a legend... and that suited him just fine.

The authorities continued to chase Red X as he emerged from the Lysentia building. He continued running for the good part of an hour until he was sure he didn't have anyone on his trail.

That way, no one would see Red X enter a small, urban neighborhood on the Lower East Side of Jump City. A neighborhood of apartment buildings and a few tenement houses lining the streets. Several young men and women roamed these streets at night, heading out to clubs or just wandering in the neighborhood to make trouble. By far, the person who'd caused the most trouble that night was Red X, but in this old neighborhood, barely anyone noticed his presence as he lurked in the shadows. Certainly no one saw him climbing up a fire escape on the side of a small, three-story brick apartment building, taking several flights of stairs up to a window located on the top floor.

__

"The Titans are probably out by now..." thought Red X as he climbed the last flight of stairs and walked onto the platform in front of the window. _"And I know they're looking for me."_

Red X climbed through the window, into a small, empty room. He turned on the light by the door... the room was a bedroom, with a large bed by the window, a desk, two dressers, and posters lining the walls.

The Titans would never think to look for Red X in this room... a fortunate thing, since this was the room where the master thief spent the most time of his life. A mask... Red X's mask, fluttered onto the bed, followed by the suit... the suit with the Xynothium reactor, such a precious item, probably worth billions of dollars... the mask and suit shoved into a box under the bed. The next thing to touch the bed was a boy, sixteen years of age, flopping on top of his blanket and staring up at the ceiling of the room. His black hair, short and straight, undamaged by the tight fit of the mask that had been over his face. He wore a white tanktop with brown shorts, an outfit that wouldn't get in the way when he put on the suit.

__

"A job well done... I did it," thought the boy, still staring at the ceiling while trying to gather all the thoughts that were swirling through his head. _"I got the Xynothium reactor, and escaped the Titans..."_

He knew Red X and the Titans would meet again. But with the limitless supply of Xynothium from the reactor, he was ready for anything.

__

"I won't be powerless again."

A woman's voice snapped the boy out of his thoughts, out of his victorious mood, and back into the real world... the world outside of the Red X costume.

"Sanza... Sanza Ruiz Salazar... where have you been all evening? I was worried sick about you!"

Sanza heard his mother's voice outside the door, but didn't get up from his bed. The door was unlocked... if she really wanted in, she could open the door herself.

Sanza Salazar... Red X... different people... different lives... same problems with authority.

O-O-O

Bet you guy's didn't see that one coming, hmm? Red X's identity is revealed right off the bat... so who is this Sanza Salazar, anyway? And why does he, a sixteen-year-old kid from a poor neighborhood, have the Red X suit? Your questions, at least some of them, will be answered next chapter, I can assure you!


	2. A Thief Reborn

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Teen Titans. If I did, this would be on TV and not here.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This doesn't take place in the same storyline as my "Forced Base" and "Fractured Heart" stories, so forget those when you're reading this. Also, this takes place after the fourth season, so anything that happens in the show after that isn't applicable to this. Also, about Sanza/Red X: When he's wearing the mask, he's Red X. When he's not, he's Sanza. Simple as that.

O-O-O

Sanza had fallen asleep almost the moment he'd closed his eyes the previous night, but he still felt extremely tired as he awoke. Normally, he would've slept in, but it was a school day. So, he drug himself out of bed and trudged down the stairs to the breakfast table.

Sanza's mother had rented the top two floors of the apartment building, having received the middle floor at a bargain price after its previous tenants had moved out. At the moment, no one lived in the first floor of the building, so the Salazars were, for the most part, alone in the old building. Mrs. Salazar, a divorced widow in her mid-40s, worked extremely hard to provide a good life for her two children, whom she loved dearly. This morning, she was working hard to provide the two of them with a good breakfast.

Sanza's little sister, an eleven-year-old with a vibrant and precocious nature, long, raven-black hair and hazel eyes just like her brothers, had already seated herself and was already halfway through with a large stack of pancakes she'd placed on her plate. Sanza sat across from her at the table and sighed.

"Maddy, you're supposed to wait until I get down here," Sanza said, using his fork to spear a pancake and drop it onto his own plate.

"And you're supposed to get up at seven o'clock," said Sanza's mother, looking down at her watch. "It's seven-twenty. The bus gets here in ten minutes."

"At least I'm dressed," Sanza replied, looking down at his black t-shirt and baggy blue jeans that barely fit on his slim legs. "Maddy's still in her PJ's."

Maddy (short for Maddalena, but no one ever called her that, save sometimes her mother), stuck her tongue out at Sanza and poured a large amount of syrup on her half-eaten pancakes.

"I don't have to go to school today because I have a cold," said Maddy, sniffling. She raised her arm to her nose and wiped it off with the sleeve of her pink nightgown.

"Then why are you down here eating pancakes and not in bed?" asked Sanza, angrily pointing his fork at Maddy.

"Because mommy's pancakes are good!" said Maddy, smiling a precocious smile that Sanza found absolutely irritating. He shriveled up his nose in disgust, and Maddy looked over at her mother. "Mommy, doesn't Sanza have five minutes to eat his breakfast and catch the bus?"

"Yah... Sanza, you'd better hurry up and finish, I'm not driving you to school today," said Mrs. Salazar, walking over to the table and sitting down in the third chair, placing a large plate filled with bacon next to the nearly-depleted stack of pancakes. "I've got a big sales report that needs to be turned in to my boss as soon as I come in today, and I can't be late."

"Speaking of reports..." said Maddy, in that same sickeningly, precociously sweet voice that brought her brother so much grief, "don't you have a big report due on Thomas Jefferson today? You were telling me about it all last night, but I didn't see you working on it any..."

__

"Dammit... the report!" thought Sanza, realizing his late-night excursion had prevented him from getting his homework done. He dropped his fork, a small amount of chewed-up pancake falling from his lips. _"That Xynothium reactor could've waited, but this report is due _today"

"Sanza, how many times have I told you to do your homework right when you get home?" shouted Mrs. Salazar, standing up from the table and staring angrily into her son's face. "If you flunk history class again, you are going to be in _so _much trouble..."

A soft rumbling from outside quickly shifted the focus of the conversation. It was the school bus, and it was approaching fast.

"Sanza, there's the bus, get out there right now!" shouted Mrs. Salazar, pointing toward the door. "If you want to go to the school dance tonight, I'd better see you doing your homework, and I'm going to check it too! And you see about getting an extension on that report, you're not getting another F, Sanza Salazar!"

"Yes, mom..." said Sanza, grabbing his backpack and running out the front door toward the bus. _"Maddy, you're such a little snitch..."_

As Sanza climbed onto the bus, his mind began to wander. Not just on what he'd done last night as Red X, but on how much of an annoying little brat Maddy was. She didn't have to tell his mom about the report... what Sanza did in school was none of her business!

But as annoying as Maddy was, Sanza still loved her very much. In fact, he loved her enough to steal for her... _to steal is to protect... to protect Maddy..._

O-O-O

__

A few months earlier, and just a few days before Maddy's 11th birthday, she and Sanza were walking down to the nearby magic shop. Maddy had just received a birthday card from she and Sanza's aunt, and she wanted to spend the money on a set of magic cards that one of her friends at school had shown to her.

"They're really cool, Sanza... you flip them one way, and they're like normal cards, but if you flip them another way, they're all the same! They're really, really cool!" said Maddy, walking down the sidewalk with a spring in her step and a new ten-dollar bill in her hand. "Doesn't that sound cool?"

"Can't you just borrow them from your friend instead of wasting your money on a set of your own?" asked Sanza, angry that his mom had made him accompany Maddy to the store. He was missing an episode of Jerry Springer_ for this. "I can't believe mom's actually making me come with you."_

"Aww, big brother... you're here to protect me from kidnappers, silly!" Maddy said, wrapping her arms around her big brother's waist. "They're like everywhere, crawling in the shadows and-"

"The only one here that came from the shadows is you, ya little twerp," said Sanza, gently pushing his sister away. "Now let's hurry, maybe I can catch the last half of my show."

Maddy's lips began to quiver, and she stopped right where Sanza had pushed her. Then, she began to cry. Sanza had seen it before, and wasn't buying it, but he knew his mom probably would.

"I'm telling mommy you pushed me!" Maddy shouted, loud enough to get the attention of several passers-by. She pointed her finger at Sanza. "You... you pusher!"

Sanza sighed, bracing himself for a full-blown temper tantrum, accompanied by fake waterworks. He looked up toward the sky... and saw the top of the magic shop sign. He turned toward the building, and realized that they'd arrived at their destination.

"Look, Maddy... we're here, at the magic-"

"Yay!" shouted Maddy, pushing past Sanza and running into the store before he could even finish his sentence. With a sigh of relief, Sanza followed her into the store, his hands deep in his pockets.

"Just a few more minutes..." thought Sanza, half-heartedly watching his sister as she ran over to the shelves of magic cards. She searched through the shelves for nearly a minute before finally picking out what she wanted and running up to the counter to pay.

"Okay, Sanza, I'm all done!" Maddy said, walking over to him with a set of 'magic' cards in her hand. "I bet I can do all kinds of tricks with these!"

"Can you send us back home in a puff of smoke?" asked Sanza sarcastically, turning toward the door. "I didn't think so. Let's go home."

Suddenly, an enormous puff of purple smoke engulfed the entire entrance of the magic shop. As Sanza, Maddy, and the friendly old man behind the counter began to cough and wheeze, a tall, blue man with a big white mustache and a black top hat appeared in the middle of the smoke. It was Mumbo Jumbo, half-supervillain, half-David Copperfield, all-criminal.

"I always love to make an entrance!" shouted Mumbo, twirling his wand and striding into the small magic shop.

"Sanza, I'm scared..." said Maddy, trembling as she wrapped her arms around Sanza's midsection. Sanza placed his hands around his sister, trying as best he could to comfort her, realizing that both she and he were in serious danger.

With a wave of his wand, Mumbo teleported from the front of the store to the back, pointing his finger at the man behind the counter. Now that nothing stood between Sanza, Maddy, and the exit, the two tried to make a break for the open door. Suddenly, Mumbo extended his hand, immediately causing the door to slam shut, magical chains appearing around the door to keep it closed. Maddy let out a scream, turning back toward Mumbo and the counter, her eyes wide with fear. Sanza began trying to kick the door in with his foot, but the chains held firm.

"Can't have two-thirds of my audience leaving before the act even begins, now can I?" quipped Mumbo, turning his attention back to the man behind the counter. "And you... I'll be taking all of your money now!"

Fearfully, the old man shook his head.

"Most of our money's in the safe in the back of the store, and I don't have the combination!" shouted the cashier. "Please, I wouldn't lie to-"

Mumbo quickly pointed his hand at Maddy, shooting out a long, multicolored cloth band that wrapped around the girls' arms and chest, immobilizing her and pulling her over to the evil magician like a yo-yo.

"SANZA, HELP!" Maddy shrieked, struggling to escape Mumbo's grasp. Sanza gasped, his eyes wide with horror. A feeling of rage slowly began sweeping through the teenage boy.

"Now, if you don't open that safe, and quick," said Mumbo, pointing his cane at Maddy's face, "I'll turn this little girl into a little mouse, and feed her to a snake in the pet store I'm about to rob! That's a disappearing act I'm sure everyone will love!"

As Mumbo began to laugh, Maddy let out another loud, horrified scream. Immediately, Sanza reached down to his pant leg and pulled out a small, brown object. With a flick of his wrist, a four-inch switchblade emerged, gleaming in Sanza's hand. The blade had belonged to Sanza's father, but after the man's untimely death, the blade was now in Sanza's hands. Sanza charged Mumbo with the blade, but Mumbo's reaction time was faster. He spun around and pointed his wand at Sanza, zapping the boy in the chest with a powerful bolt of lightning that sent him flying back into the chained door. He slumped against the door, barely conscious and groaning in pain, his eyes locked on his baby sister's terrified face.

"SANZA!" Maddy screamed, tears streaming down her face. Sanza, too weak to speak, could only look back at his sister with deep sadness, silently mouthing an apology.

"I... I'm too weak to help her..." thought Sanza, deaf to everything but his sister's horrified screams. "Maddy... I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..."

O-O-O

"Hey Sanza, did you get that Thomas Jefferson report done?"

Seventh seat from the front, on the left. That was where Sanza sat on the school bus, along with his friend Rob. Unlike Sanza, who was Hispanic, Rob was white, with brown hair that he'd bleached and spiked, the smell of hair gel still emanating from his head. He wore a long string of silver beads around his neck, with his girlfriend's class ring hanging from the center.

"Sanza, didja hear me? Did you-"

"No, Rob, I didn't," said Sanza, looking out the window at the city as it passed by his face. "It's a big grade, isn't it?"

"Yeah, but you know how Mr. Winterstein is... he lets you turn stuff in a day late for a 10 reduction in credit," said Rob. "So I guess you can work on it tonight... unless you're going to the dance tonight. Oh wait, you are going, aren't you?"

Sanza nodded. The school's fall dance was that night, the first big dance of the year. Of course, the memory of the last big dance the school had had was still fresh in the minds of many of the students. Sanza, a sophomore at the time, had been a grade too young to go to the junior prom, but he'd hurt plenty about it. A spider monster had attacked, and the Teen Titans showed up to save the day. Well, two of them at least... Robin and Starfire, who had been made de facto prom king and queen after their heroic feats.

"Yeah," replied Sanza. "I'm going with Cleo, you know that."

Cleo Encina, one of the girls in Sanza's Algebra II class. The two weren't really dating, just going to the dance as a couple of friends who wanted to have a good time and didn't have anything else to do. Well, Cleo didn't have anything else to do... Sanza could still do his report and turn it in late. Whether he would or not remained to be seen.

"Hey, you think the Teen Titans will show up like they did at last year's junior prom?" asked Rob, a hint of excitement in his voice.

"Uh... I hope they do," replied Sanza, just following along with the conversation. "That Starfire sure is hot."

"Heh, you know it... uh, don't let my girlfriend hear that, though," chuckled Rob, high-fiving Sanza for the Starfire remark. "I bet she's slammin' that Robin guy, though."

__

"I bet she is," thought Sanza sarcastically, rolling his eyes. _"Starfire probably doesn't even like him..."_

Sanza knew all about the Teen Titans... not just as Red X... he'd met them even before that.

O-O-O

__

The cashier had gone to the back to bring out the safe for Mumbo, who still had Maddy tied up next to him, his wand resting on top of her head.

"C'mon, Sanza... get up..." whispered Maddy, trying to coax her beloved brother from his slumped position in front of the door. "If there's anyone who can save me, it's you..."

"She believes in me..." thought Sanza, forgetting the quarrel he'd had with his sister earlier that day, in fact, forgetting everything but the fact that Maddy's life was in danger and it was up to him to get up and save her life. Slowly but surely, he began to pull himself up from the ground, groaning in pain.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," said Mumbo, raising up his cane and pointing it at Sanza again. "Maybe I'll just turn you into a mouse instead..."

"You'll be sorry... you messed with my big brother!" shouted Maddy, standing up and kicking Mumbo in his ankle. As Mumbo let out a howl of pain, Sanza ran over to Maddy and took out his switchblade, using the knife to try and cut away the cloths from Maddy's arms.

"Hurry, before he-" Maddy began, just before Mumbo pointed his wand at the chains covering the door at the front of the shop. Two long chains reached out from the main group and wrapped around Sanza's wrists, pulling him back to the door and holding him in place. The switchblade dropped from his hand.

"How DARE you try and break up my act!" shouted Mumbo, turning his attention to Maddy, who Sanza hadn't quite been able to free from her bonds. "As punishment, I think I'll skip right to the grand finale! It's mousie time for you, my dear assistant!"

"NO!" shouted Sanza, furiously tugging at the chains that held him to the door. "Leave Maddy alone, you twisted son of a-"

"Presto, cha-"

Suddenly, a boy in a red suit and yellow cape crashed in through the ceiling, kicking the wand from Mumbo's hand before he could finish the spell. He was quickly followed by four other figures, leaping in through the hole their leader had made. The cashier, who'd just come in from the back room, immediately recognized the five heroes.

"The Teen Titans!" shouted the cashier, dropping the safe on the counter and throwing up his hands in joy. Meanwhile, Maddy's face lit up as well, delighted that her saviors had arrived.

"Yay! Go Teen Titans, go!" Maddy cheered, watching as the five Titans easily dispatched of Mumbo Jumbo, leaving him tied up with Batcables in the center of the room.

Sanza, who also watched as the Titans made quick work of the evil magician, was relieved of course, but at the same time, he was dismayed that he hadn't been the one to rescue his sister. She'd looked up to him, begged for him to save her... and instead, here he was, uselessly chained to a door and forced to watch helplessly as the Titans did what should have been his _job as a big brother._

"You are safe now..." said Starfire, easily snapping the chains that held Sanza's wrists. "Are you damaged?"

Sanza shook his head.

"No... I'm fine..." said Sanza. He looked over and saw Robin cutting away his sister's bonds, Maddy leaping into the Boy Wonder's arms as soon as she was free.

"Thank you, Robin!" said Maddy, leaning over and kissing the heroic masked boy on the cheek. Robin blushed, gently setting the girl down on the floor.

"Uh... it's our job..." said Robin, smiling a slightly-embarrassed smile. Starfire giggled, knowing that she had no competition from the cute, but ultimately too young ten-year-old, while Cyborg, Beast Boy, and even Raven couldn't help but smile at a job well done.

"It's always fun mopping up the bad guys," said Cyborg, patting Maddy on the shoulder.

Meanwhile, Sanza was beginning to feel the overwhelming weight of humiliation setting in. He walked around the front of the store in a daze, rubbing the back of his neck and shaking his head.

"Are you sure that you are undamaged?" asked Starfire, a look of concern reflected on her face. "The hospital is very close... if you are injured, we-"

"Dude, don't you know Raven's a healer?" asked Beast Boy, looking over at his blue-cloaked friend. "If you're hurt, Raven can patch you up, right, Raven?"

"Healing takes a lot of my energy," replied Raven, "though I guess I could-"

"I told you, I'm fine," said Sanza, now staring up at the ceiling.

Everything should have been fine... Maddy was safe, Sanza was safe, Mumbo was caught... but Sanza couldn't shake the pain of humiliation from his psyche. A big brother should be able to protect his baby sister from anything... Sanza couldn't even save her from a blue freak in a tuxedo. He'd failed Maddy, and at the same time, his promise to his dying father, whose last words to him were 'take care of Maddy and your mother'. The sacred charge of familial duty... Sanza had failed his familia_... with that weight on his chest, he'd never be fine._

"Hey, um... can we visit your big T-Tower?" asked Maddy, completely out of the blue. She stared up at Robin and went into her sweetest, most pleading voice. "Please? Please?"

Again, Robin blushed. He didn't usually have fans asking to visit the T-Tower... it wasn't completely out of the question, but nonetheless, he was taken aback.

"Is it all right with your parents?" asked Raven. "I don't know about Robin, but I certainly don't want to deal with an angry mom or dad yelling in my ear when I'm trying to meditate."

"I'm sure mom wouldn't mind," replied Sanza. If he couldn't protect Maddy, he could at least do something nice for her... besides, Springer was probably over by now, and if a visit to the T-Tower would mean that Maddy wouldn't have nightmares about the Mumbo incident, then... "And if she does, all the blame will be on me, not you guys."

"Well... okay, you can come for a visit," said Robin. "We'll drop Mumbo off at the police station, and then we'll go right to the tower."

"Yay!" Maddy cheered, hugging Robin for the second time in the last few minutes before dashing out to the T-Car, happily singing the whole way. "When there's trouble, you know who to caaaaaaaaaaall... TEEN TITANS! From their tower they can see it aaaaaaaaaaaall... TEEN TITANS!"

Sanza smiled. As annoying as Maddy was, she was still his little sister... and seeing her safe and happy brought great joy to Sanza's heart.

But he knew he'd still failed to protect her... he'd still failed as a brother.

O-O-O

"So tell me again how Mr. Winterstein reacted when he saw your paper that said Thomas Jefferson slept with one of his slaves," said Sanza, smiling and poking his elbow into Rob, who was seated next to him at the lunch table. Rob's girlfriend, Marcy, was seated on his other side, and next to Marcy was Cleo, a tall girl with long, straight red hair tied into a ponytail behind her head. She giggled at Sanza's last comment, while picking up a chicken finger from her tray.

"It's historically accurate, but the dude totally gave me an F," replied Rob.

"That's because you copied the whole report off the internet," said Marcy, playfully messing up Rob's hair with her fingers. "Teachers can check for that now, you know."

"They shouldn't be able to!" shouted Rob. "It's totally cheating... gives the teacher an unfair advantage over the student!"

"So, Sanza... are you going to do your report tonight?" asked Cleo, using her fork to play with the spaghetti in a bowl next to her tray. "You'd better get it done quick... you're taking me to the dance tonight, remember?"

"I remember," said Sanza, "and don't worry, I'll definitely get it done in time."

"So, Sanza," said another boy at the table, a tall, muscular boy named Jeremy, "are you and Cleo going out now? Officially, I mean?"

Cleo giggled.

"Jer, we're still just friends..." said Cleo, though she still kept one eye on Sanza's face. "I mean, aren't we?"

"Yeah, sure," Sanza said, nodding his head. "Of course we're friends. If we weren't, we'd be enemies, right?"

Cleo giggled, while Marcy and Rob rolled their eyes.

"Wasn't that funny," Rob groaned. "Here's a good one, though. What happens when you take two Mexicans, stick them on a boat, and-"

Sanza reached over and covered Rob's mouth, and everyone at the table began to laugh. Sanza didn't mind racially insensitive humor... he knew plenty of jokes himself. Of course, he liked the jokes better when he was the one making them... a fact that Rob had conveniently forgotten.

"It was a funny joke," chuckled Rob as soon as Sanza had removed his hand. "I'll let you make a white guy joke if you want!"

"Why bother? You _are _the white guy joke," said Sanza, immediately causing everyone at the table, even Rob, to burst out in laughter again.

A normal life... normal friends, normal problems... Sanza Salazar had all those things... but a piece of his life had been voluntarily ceded to someone else. That day still stuck out in Sanza's memory, spending every waking second in the back of his mind...

O-O-O

__

The Titans entered the front room of their tower, accompanied by Sanza and a very excited Maddy.

"Oooh... this TV is WAY bigger than ours!" shouted Maddy, running up to the enormous screen at the right side of the Titans' living room and pressing her body against it like a fly stuck to a strip of fly paper. "Do you guys play video games on it?"

"Do we?" shouted Cyborg, running over to the TV and pulling out a large shelf filled with various video game systems. "We got Gamestation, Playbox 2, X-Cube, Super X-Cube, Intellicom 64..."

"Cyborg here thinks he's the man at video games, but he can't even touch my _records," said Beast Boy, proudly walking over to his friend Cyborg and slapping him on the back._

"What are you talkin' about, man?" asked Cyborg, spinning around to correct his green gaming buddy. "You know I hold the all-time record for points on Tony Eagle's Pro Boogieboarder!"

"Boys will be boys..." sighed Raven, walking toward the stairs. "If you want to ask me anything, I'll be in my-"

"Raven, we have guests... it is not polite to leave them in the middle of a tour!" said Starfire, gently placing her hands on Raven's shoulder. "Such a thing is rude even on my planet, and I am sure that it is rude on yours."

"Yeah, Raven... don't you at least want to tell Sanza and Maddy about the time you saved all of us from Captain Phantom, or about the time we fought the Granetoids from outer space?" asked Robin, gesturing toward the two guests. "It's not every day we have a visitor in the T-Tower."

"And I'm sure there's a good reason for that," thought Raven, but kept her feelings to herself. It wasn't that Raven was rude, or didn't want to see the two guests... it was something else. Something in her mind was telling her that the sooner Sanza and Maddy left, the better. They weren't in danger, but still, Raven couldn't help but think that something was amiss.

"It's okay," said Maddy, already looking through the Titans' video game collection. "I think I wanna play with Beast Boy and Cyborg... they've got Kirby vs. Final Fantasy Fighter!"

"Are you sure?" asked Starfire, gesturing toward a hallway leading out of the room. "I had already prepared a very nice tour for both of you, and-"

"I could show you my room," said Robin. Immediately, Maddy turned her head, her mouth widening in shock.

"Your... your room? With all your crime-fighting stuff and everything?" asked Maddy, suddenly forgetting the video game and thinking only of how cool it would be to visit the room of the great Boy Wonder himself. "Oooh... cool... okay!"

"Are you coming too?" asked Starfire, looking at Sanza as she, Raven, Robin, and Maddy prepared to head up the stairs to Robin's room. Sanza nodded and began to walk toward the stairs when suddenly, a familiar feeling crept through the lower part of his body.

"Um... you guys have a bathroom, right?" asked Sanza, an embarrassed look appearing on his face.

"Yeah... third door on the right," said Cyborg, pointing down another hallway leading from the main room of the tower. Suddenly, Beast Boy stood up and shook his head.

"Nah, I wouldn't use that one..." said Beast Boy. Immediately, a look of disgust appeared on Cyborg's face.

"Aww, sick, dude!" shouted Cyborg to Beast Boy before turning back to Sanza. "All right then... just keep going until you get to a turn, then go left and it's the second door. Can't miss it."

Sanza nodded.

"Thank you," Sanza said, running down the hallway and disappearing around a corner. As Beast Boy and Cyborg settled into their game, Robin, Starfire, Raven, and a very excited Maddy walked up to Robin's room, worrying little about their other guest.

O-O-O

When one goes to the bathroom, one has a lot of time to think. And that was exactly what Sanza did. He thought about the incident at the magic store, and he couldn't get his mind off of what had happened to Maddy... how he'd failed to protect her and how weak he was that the Teen Titans had to come and save them both.

As he was washing his hands, Sanza began to think that if there was only some way to get stronger... a way he could be more like his father. Sanza's father, who had been in one of the toughest street gangs in Jump City... nobody ever beat him... in a fair fight, anyway. He'd been killed in an ambush when Sanza was only seven years old, and Maddy was just a baby. From that point forward, it was Sanza's responsibility to be the man of the family... to protect Maddy...

He stepped out of the bathroom and began walking down the hall, still berating himself for having not been able to protect his sister. It was all he could think about... it filled his mind, crowding out everything else... including the way back to the main room.

By the time Sanza realized he was lost, he'd walked all the way to one of the deepest, darkest parts of the tower. He reached a dead end in the form of a large, framed picture of the Teen Titans, standing together in front of the tower and smiling.

"Now that's a real family..." thought Sanza, his hand stroking across the picture's surface. "A family who can protect its members... sort of like a street gang..."

Of course, Sanza's mother, horrified that her dear son would fall into the gang life, had tried to shield her son from anyone that might get him involved. He'd been forbidden to fight, only allowing him to take a few boxing and martial arts classes. He'd been suspended a couple times for fights at school, usually with bullies who liked to pick on smaller, younger kids. Sanza didn't fully understand why he _was punished just for trying to protect his classmates who were being bullied... it was exactly what his father would've done._

As Sanza's hand traced across Robin's face on the picture, he could hear a loud thumping noise from just behind the wall. He stepped back, only to see the entire wall slide up to reveal a dark room, filled with glass cases and assorted relics of criminals long-since defeated by the Titans.

"That's weird..." said Sanza, looking up to the ceiling. "The wall's gone..."

He worried for a few seconds, wondering how to put the wall back in its original position. Certainly, the Titans wouldn't be happy if they found out Sanza had been somewhere he wasn't supposed to be.

"Maybe there's a control inside the room," said Sanza, walking through the secret passage and looking around. In his mind, he knew that the controls to the wall most likely weren't actually behind it. Curiosity pressed Sanza forward... the room was dark, lit only by a red spotlight hanging from the ceiling. As Sanza continued to look around, he noticed a long hallway leading into the darkness... curiosity continued compelling him forward. He began walking down the hallway, every step leading him closer to a mystery, something secret in the dim red light that began appearing before his eyes, glowing brighter and brighter as he stepped forward.

The hallway ended at a large, metal safe embedded into the wall. On the safe were two things... a skull, and a large, red X. A security code system kept the safe sealed shut.

"Well, that's the end of that," said Sanza, sighing as he stared at the closed safe. "Now I'd really _better get out of here..."_

But as he turned around, the memories of his sister crept slowly back into his head. Sanza stared back at the safe... and came to an epiphany.

"This door... whatever is behind this door... in this safe... is a secret that whoever placed it here wanted to keep locked up."

A secret... a powerful secret... a secret that could hold the key to Sanza's greatest wish... to be able to protect his family.

The security code keypad contained ten numbers, 0 through 9... there was no way Sanza was getting into the safe without the right code. It was then that he remembered a trick his father had taught him. The fingerprints of the last person to close the safe were still on the keypad... and could be easily lifted with a bit of powder.

Sanza walked over to one of the glass cases and wiped his fingers across the glass... collecting a small amount of dust. He gathered some dust, walked back over to the keypad... and blew the dust onto its surface.

No prints appeared.

"Of course..." thought Sanza, noticing that most of the Teen Titans wore gloves that covered their fingers... or in Cyborg's case, didn't have finger prints at all. But there was another trick... even gloves left a trace of something, and Sanza looked at the keypad even harder. Tiny imprints, nearly undetectable to the naked eye... but Sanza's father knew how to spot them, and so did Sanza. There were miniscule pressure imprints on the keys 3, 5, 6, and 9. Quickly, Sanza tried a code with those numbers.

"5369... incorrect."

"6935...incorrect. Warning, a subsequent incorrect sequence will trigger a warning system that will alert everyone in the Tower."

Sanza sighed. This was stupid... risking getting into serious trouble for what? Something in a safe that he couldn't even see and had no idea of what it really was.

"This is for Maddy... nothing else. If I get into trouble, I get into trouble."

Another attitude he'd picked up from his father.

"3965."

The safe opened slowly. Sanza's eyes widened, staring into the dark chamber and wondering what could possibly confront his eyes inside.

It was a suit. A black, white, and red superhero suit. A mask, a belt, and a skintight bodysuit... like Robin's, except the mask covered the wearer's entire face. It even had a cape... and it sure looked a helluva lot cooler than anything any of the other Titans wore.

Sanza stared at the suit for nearly a minute, wondering if some touch-sensitive alarm would be triggered if he dared to take it. Finally, he crossed the Rubicon... he pulled the suit, the mask, and the belt from the safe. On the back of the helmet was a scrap of paper held there with a piece of tape... Sanza removed the paper and held it up.

"Red X suit... highly dangerous... do not-"

Sanza threw the paper to the floor.

"Red X, hmm?" he said to himself, holding up the suit and stretching it out. "I think I like the sound of that..."

Removing all his clothes except for a pair of white briefs, Sanza slowly slipped on the suit... first, the main part, the skintight body suit. It felt like some form of latex, though was a bit more fabricy... was the suit sewn, or made in some scientific sort of machine? Sanza didn't care... the suit fit perfectly, and allowed for excellent mobility... he jumped up and down, ran inside the room, threw punches, kicks... did a few jumping jacks... the suit felt incredible, much more comfortable then Sanza's normal clothes. He then put on the belt, opening one of the many compartments. A small, metallic red X quickly materialized in his hand.

"I wonder what this does..." said Sanza, tossing the X at a nearby wall. Immediately, the X transformed on impact, changing into a large X-shaped bar that grew spikes and dug itself into the wall, cracking it in four places. He pulled out another X, which suddenly swelled into a sticky ball of red material that fell into Sanza's hands, covering them in goo. He tried to extricate his arms, but all the tugging and pulling in the world would do him no good. In desperation, he used his last two usable fingers to grab another X out of another compartment. It was a small, sharp, shuriken-like X, which Sanza quickly used to slash away the goo. "I'd really better be careful..."

The last piece of the costume was the mask... the final thing that would transform Sanza into that master thief and supercriminal, Red X. Slowly, he slipped the black mask over his head... and just like that, Red X was reborn.

"Now I can protect my sister..."

O-O-O

Sanza walked back out into the main room of Titans Tower. He'd shoved the mask into his pocket and had put his clothes back on over the rest of the costume. He'd also used some more of his gadgets to clean up the small mess he'd made in the secret compartment, and had found the controls to close the wall back up once he was outside. With any luck, the Titans would never know what Sanza had done... at least not until he was long gone.

He still couldn't help but feel a bit nervous... stealing was a crime, and stealing from superheroes was a sure way to get a one-way ticket to prison. That nervousness was only intensified when Cyborg confronted him as he entered the room.

"Hey, man... you were in there like, thirty minutes. Did you fall in or somethin'?" Cyborg asked.

"I... I kind of went to get something from your kitchen," said Sanza, quickly constructing the best lie he could.

"Oh. Well, you didn't eat any of the weird berries in the fridge, did you?" asked Cyborg, cracking a smile. "Because those are Starfire's... I think they might be poisonous to humans!"

For the second time that day, Sanza could feel a wave of relief sweep through his body. He'd gotten away with stealing the suit... for now.

"I just made myself a cheese sandwich," Sanza said with a chuckle. "I didn't go for anything weird, trust me..."

"C'mon, Cyborg!" Beast Boy shouted from the couch. "Come back here so I can kick your butt!"

Cyborg walked back to the couch, turning once to wave at Sanza before going back to his game. A few minutes later, Robin, Starfire, Raven, and Maddy walked down the stairs, having concluded their tour of the Boy Wonder's room.

"Robin, that was really awesome... thank you so much!" said Maddy, leaning in once more to kiss Robin on the cheek. Before she could, however, Starfire interposed herself... one kiss was enough for the day.

"Would you now like to tour the rest of the tower?" asked Starfire. Before Maddy could respond, Sanza chimed in.

"I... think we'd better be getting back home now," said Sanza, walking over to his sister and putting his hand on her shoulder. He knew that the longer he and Maddy stayed at the tower, the more chance his secret thievery had of being exposed.

"But Sanza..."

"I'm sorry, Maddy," said Sanza, turning to Robin, Starfire, and Raven. "Thanks for letting us come here... and for saving us back there."

"Like I said, it's what we do," replied Robin. "And feel free to come back any time!"

"Yes, please do... I would like you to try some of my wonderful Tamaranian cuisine!" said Starfire, causing Raven to reply with a frown and a shake of her head.

"Why'd we save their lives if you're just going to kill them with your food?" thought Raven, again keeping her criticisms to herself. She could still sense that something wasn't quite right with her two visitors... and was grateful that they'd be leaving soon.

As Sanza and Maddy left with Robin to take the T-Boat back to the mainland, Sanza felt happier than he had all day. Right now, he was wearing the suit that would give him the power to protect his family... just like he'd promised his father.

"Papa... I won't fail Maddy again..."

O-O-O

Sanza completed all his homework, including the delinquent Thomas Jefferson report... and with plenty of time to spare. An hour to spare, in fact.

He looked down at the Red X suit, which he'd placed on his bed. The mask, the belt, the suit itself... they were all there, beckoning him.

__

"I need the practice anyway," thought Sanza, smiling as he began putting the suit on over the clothes he was planning to wear to the dance. Though he had all the Xynothium he needed, the thrill of stealing still appealed greatly to Sanza... he slipped on the mask, ready for another exciting heist. He crawled out the window and into his mom's car, silently thanking her for rewarding him for doing his homework so quickly by letting him borrow the keys to go to the dance.

Red X was riding again.

O-O-O

Red X arrived at the Jump City Natural History Museum, parking the car behind the building and walking around to the front parking lot. The "Relics of the Dark Ages" exhibit, containing hundreds of priceless jewels and artifacts from ninth, tenth, and eleventh-century Europe, had just arrived at the museum, and Red X was looking to score a few relics for himself.

But before he could even walk through the front door, he heard a familiar voice.

"You just don't know when to quit... do you?"

__

"The Titans... again," thought Red X, his hand moving down to his belt. _"I'm not the only one who doesn't know when to quit..."_

O-O-O

So now that you know about why Sanza took the Red X suit, it's time to see some more Red X vs. Titans action! But that certainly can't be all this story is, can it? Of course not... the plot thickens next chapter, and you certainly won't want to miss what happens next!


	3. Tussle For A Treasure

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Teen Titans. If I did, this would be on TV and not here.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This doesn't take place in the same storyline as my "Forced Base" and "Fractured Heart" stories, so forget those when you're reading this. Also, this takes place after the fourth season, so anything that happens in the show after that isn't applicable to this. Also, about Sanza/Red X: When he's wearing the mask, he's Red X. When he's not, he's Sanza. Simple as that.

O-O-O

A routine burglary had quickly turned sour for Red X, who was now in yet another confrontation with the Teen Titans. So much for the school dance...

"You kids can't ever seem to stay out of my way!" shouted Red X, pulling three large Xs out of his belt and hurling them toward the Teen Titans. The first X flew toward Cyborg and Starfire, expanding into a net that trapped the two inside. The second X flew toward Beast Boy and Raven, dissolving into a large, noxious cloud of crimson tear gas that enshrouded them both.

"My eyes!" screamed Beast Boy, collapsing to the ground, quickly blinded by the gas. He quickly transformed into a bat and flew up into the air to escape the toxic cloud while retaining most of his vision.

The third X was intended for Robin, but he didn't stay around long enough to find out what it was. Instead, he leapt into the air, extending his bo staff and swinging it downward at Red X's head. Quickly, X rolled out of the way, through Robin's legs and behind his back. He stood up and pushed Robin hard with both hands, sending the young crimefighter crashing through the front doors of the museum. As Red X quickly dashed away, a familiar orange-skinned alien floated in front of him.

"That was not very nice," said Starfire, her eyes and hands lighting up with Starbolt energy. She threw several small Starbolts at Red X, who cartwheeled out of the way as the green energy spheres slammed into the ground behind him, each one throwing up a minor explosion. He looked back at Starfire, who had changed direction and was now launching into another storm of Starbolts.

__

"She's ferocious when she needs to be..." thought Red X, smiling under his mask. More Starbolts came flying past him, one managing to strike the criminal in his left hand. The Starbolt stung as it impacted, and Red X quickly realized that without the suit, he might have been left with at least a second degree burn. "You should really watch where you're throwing those..."

Red X extended his palm and fired another X at Starfire, intending to bind her arms and render her incapable of firing any more Starbolts. Instead, a black energy shield emerged in front of Starfire just in time to block the X, which dissipated harmlessly against the barrier.

"And there's more where that came from," said Raven, standing behind Red X, illuminated by one of the parking lot's overhead lights. "Azarath, metreon, zinthos!"

The spotlight shining down on Raven disappeared, as its source, the light above Raven's head, was engulfed in dark energy. The huge metallic pole the light was mounted on lifted up out of the ground and curled into a large ball of twisted, jumbled metal, which Raven then hurled at Red X with her telekinetic powers. Red X barely had time to tumble out of the way as the ball careened past him, smashing into the ground and hurling up a huge chunk of concrete from where it landed.

More Starbolts flew at Red X from his left side, as well as bursts of dark energy from Raven and blue-colored blasts from Cyborg's plasma arm cannon. It was a three-on-one assault, and Red X was caught right in the middle. He flipped backward several times before backing up against a wall of skin that felt strangely... reptilian.

Red X turned around to see a gigantic, green Tyrannosaurus Rex standing just inches behind him. It roared in his face, sending out a plume of the most horrendous case of bad breath the thief had ever had the misfortune to smell.

"I don't have any Tic-Tacs, but here's something that might help..." said Red X, firing several Xs out of his palm and into Beast Boy's gaping maw. The T-Rex continued to stomp toward Red X, menacingly swooshing its powerful tail across the ground. Red X leapt over Beast Boy's tail, walking backward as the powerful creature roared and snarled at him, foam dripping from his enormous green lips. "Right... about... now!"

Beast Boy roared again, only to have red goo completely fill up his mouth from the inside. Within seconds, the red goo was coming out of Beast Boy's mouth so quickly that his enormous T-Rex body was soon completely engulfed in a sticky goo cocoon from which there was no escape. As Raven, Starfire, and Cyborg rushed to their friend's aid, Red X dashed inside the museum, still after the treasure he hoped to collect.

"Aw man, we need to hurry..." shouted Cyborg, rapidly shoveling red goo out of the pile that had consumed his comrade. "He's gonna drown in this stuff!"

Meanwhile, Starfire and Raven were blasting the goo with energy, hoping to blast it away fast enough to save Beast Boy.

But it was Beast Boy who saved himself, crawling out of the sticky mess just a few seconds later, back in his original form, wheezing and coughing.

"Duuuude... it was like, nastier than Starfire's pudding in there!" shouted Beast Boy, picking the sticky red goo from his hair and eyebrows. "Where the heck did Red X go?"

"Into the museum," said Raven, "which is probably where Robin is too..."

"Let us hurry!" shouted Starfire, flying into the museum with the other Titans.

O-O-O

The museum was completely dark, its front lobby lit only by dim white spotlights along the front lobby hallway. Red X wandered inside, looking for a sign that would point him to the exhibit he was looking for.

He'd forgotten about one thing.

"Yaaaaaaaaah!" shouted Robin, leaping from the shadows with a powerful kick to the side of Red X's face. The thief was knocked into the air, his shoulder slamming against a pillar hard enough to knock a priceless Ming dynasty vase to the floor, shattering it to pieces.

"Unnnh... you're gonna pay for that, you know..." groaned Red X, rubbing his shoulder and picking himself up from the ground.

"Not until you've paid for everything you've stolen," Robin replied, holding his bo staff sideways and looking into Red X's eyes with an angry glare. "You're going to jail for a long, long time."

The other Titans quickly ran into the museum, standing behind Robin, all of them focused on Red X. The thief smiled, holding up his hands and slowly backing toward an elevator.

"All right, all right, you've got me..." said Red X, his hands still held up to the level of his head. "For a bunch of kids, you're all pretty good at finding me... you guys plant a tracker on me or something?"

"It is our job to know when a crime is being committed," said Starfire. Red X's attention turned to the alien girl, his eyes locked on her own. "Not just by you, but by all criminals..."

As Red X backed toward the elevator, his left hand was slowly moving toward the button marked with an 'up' arrow. The motion did not go unnoticed, and Robin was the first to sound the alert.

"He's trying to escape using the ele-"

The door opened and closed in seconds, Red X having already slipped inside, heading up to the second floor. The museum had four floors in all, and Robin knew that X could be headed for any one of them.

"Split up and search!"

Raven didn't have to be told twice. She quickly transformed into a wisp of dark energy, seeping through the ceiling and emerging right in front of the second floor elevator. She was ready for X as soon as the doors slid open.

"Azarath, metreon, zinthos!"

The energy blast felt like a punch to the stomach that sent Red X flying back into the wall of the elevator hard enough to make a small dent against its aluminum surface. As Raven stepped into the elevator to apprehend the thief, Red X pointed both of his hands at the Titan and fired several small Xs that exploded on impact, blasting Raven out of the elevator and into the middle of the second floor's 'Ancient Egypt' exhibit.

"Sorry, but this isn't my floor," said Red X, standing up and pressing the button to go to the third floor. The doors closed, and Red X was off, leaving Raven between a model pyramid and an ancient sarcophagus.

"Great," coughed Raven, wiping shards of glass from her cloak.

O-O-O

The third floor elevator opened in front of a long, dark hallway lined with small glass display cases in which bones from Plistocene-age animals who had once called Jump City their home were now stored. Red X dashed through the hallway, uninterested in bones and still looking for his original target, the Dark Ages exhibit. A sign at the end of the hallway gave him all the information he needed to know. Inventions of the 1800s, a collection of rocks, and a smattering of historical documents were down the left hallway, while several collections of ancient weapons lay to the right. The Dark Ages exhibit, it seemed, was going to be on the top floor. But as soon as Red X turned back toward the hallway leading to the elevator, three of the Teen Titans stepped out. Raven was back... and she'd brought friends.

__

"Beast Boy and Cyborg," thought Red X, staring down the dark hall at his new foes. _"You're gonna have to catch me first..."_

Red X dashed down the right hall, and the chase was on. Beast Boy transformed into a cheetah and immediately followed, gaining significant ground on Red X in a very short amount of time. Red X had barely made his way to the Revolutionary War cannons when cheetah Beast Boy tackled him to the ground, snarling and snapping at him with his large, predatory teeth.

"Nice kitty..." said Red X, a hint of nervousness in his normally calm voice. _"This could be a bit more than I'd bargained for..."_

While Beast Boy was hardly planning to rip Red X's face off, he knew that if he kept him pinned to the ground long enough, his friends would soon come to take the thief in. Red X wouldn't give him that chance.

__

"I know you didn't lose this in translation..." thought Red X, slamming a knee into the one weakness that remained consistent no matter what animal Beast Boy transformed into. Immediately, Beast Boy detransformed and rolled off of Red X, painfully clutching his groin.

"That was... _literally _below the belt... agh..." Beast Boy choked out, tears forming in his eyes. With a chuckle, Red X dashed past the war cannons and into a room containing a large, wooden ballista. The huge weapon, almost like a bow-and-arrow on steroids, lay stretched out in the middle of the room in all of its glory, with a sharp, iron-pointed arrow aimed directly at the back wall.

__

"I've got to try and find another elevator," thought Red X, running past the ballista and into another hallway that diverted into three paths, one going left, one going right, and one continuing forward. "Oh, come on!"

Suddenly, a powerful blue beam exploded against Red X's back, causing him to stumble forward and cry out in pain. He turned around and saw Cyborg standing behind him, charging up another plasma blast. Then, he could feel a set of arms clasping around his own from behind and holding him in place.

"Got you," came a soft, haunting female voice from behind Red X. It was Raven, holding him tightly and not allowing him to move.

"What you did to Beast Boy back there was just low," said Cyborg, "in more ways than one."

Red X smiled, again invisible to Cyborg under the mask.

"I'm allergic to cats," Red X lied. "I had to find some way to get him off me."

Red X broke out of Raven's grip, elbowing the cloaked girl in the nose, which immediately knocked her away. Cyborg fired a plasma blast, but Red X easily leapt away from it, lunging forward and striking Cyborg with a powerful kick to the face. Then, he shot out an X that plastered the powerful robot to the wall. Cyborg struggled against the X, letting out a loud cry of anger and frustration that echoed through the hall.

"When I get outta here, I am gonna mess you up!" shouted Cyborg, his plasma cannon useless now that it was stuck to the wall. As Red X admired Cyborg's predicament, Raven transformed into a dark energy bird and slammed into Red X's chest, tackling him hard to the ground.

"You're going down for good!" shouted Raven, raising her hand to strike Red X with another energy blast. Red X immediately blasted Raven's hand, covering it with goo as he'd done to Starfire the previous day. Then, he shot out an X similar to the one he'd used on Cyborg, pinning Raven to the wall across from him.

"I hate to stick and run like this, but I've still got an elevator to catch," said Red X, running back the way he came.

"No!" shouted Cyborg, angrily trying to peel himself and the X from the wall.

"It's no good," said Raven, beginning to concentrate her powers, "but I'll have us free in just a few moments... azarath, metreon, zinthos... azarath, metreon, zinthos..."

As Red X ran back to the elevator, he passed Beast Boy, still writhing on the ground from the pain of the low blow he'd been dealt.

__

"Not the most honorable way to end a fight..." thought Red X, now feeling slightly guilty about the cheap shot to Beast Boy's groin, _"but who said there was honor among thieves?"_

Red X got into the elevator and was soon heading up to the fourth floor, where he knew his treasure would be.

A familiar adrenaline rush began surging through X's body. Though he'd become a thief originally only to gather Xynothium to power the suit, stealing quickly brought such a thrill, such a high to Red X that it quickly became an addiction. He knew that stealing Dark Age artifacts had nothing to do with protecting his sister... but he enjoyed it, and that's what mattered.

__

"And it looks like I'll still have time to make it to the dance..." thought Red X, rolling up his sleeve and taking a quick glance at his watch. _"Twenty-five minutes to go..."_

The elevator doors slid open, and Red X stepped out into a wide hallway that opened out into three large rooms. A room on each side, and a large room out in front... the special exhibit room, with a sign that read 'Relics of the Dark Ages' hanging out in front of it. Red X smiled... his mission was almost complete.

With Raven, Beast Boy, and Cyborg incapacitated, Red X was confident that he'd be able to take the relic with no interference. Surely Robin and Starfire couldn't have found him... they were most likely busy helping their other friends.

Red X got halfway to the exhibit before a powerful burning sensation engulfed both of his ankles, taking his legs out from under him and sending him crashing face first to the ground. He looked up and saw a very angry Tamaranian girl, her eyes aflame. She had just fired her eye lasers into Red X's ankles, the reason why he'd fallen to the ground. He stood up with some difficulty and braced himself for another attack.

"I do not wish to hurt you... do you not remember saving all of our lives from Dr. Chang?"

Red X remembered like it was yesterday... the Titans had been captured, frozen in ice, only Robin free to save them. At the last moment, Red X had shown up and helped Robin free the Titans from their fate at the business end of Chang's powerful laser.

Red X couldn't let the Titans die... especially after he saw the look of terror in Starfire's eyes. He'd been compelled to save all of the Titans, but especially Starfire, who was probably the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen.

But that wasn't about to stop Red X from claiming his prize, and he was prepared to fight anyone, even Starfire, to get it.

"My memory's kinda hazy... maybe you can refresh me once I get the treasure!"

He reached out and fired two sharp, spinning Xs that seemed to be aimed straight at Starfire's head. She screamed and ducked, only to have the Xs curve upward and hit the sprinklers mounted high above her on the ceiling. A shower of water poured down on the two fighters, dousing them both and stunning Starfire long enough to enable Red X to leap forward with a kick that caught Starfire right in the nose, knocking her to the ground. She immediately responded, firing two Starbolts that hit Red X in the chest and arm and knocked him down as well.

Starfire floated up and launched even more Starbolts at Red X before he could stand, quickly engulfing him in an enormous green explosion that filled up a good part of the room. Out of the explosion came three Xs, whizzing past Starfire. One of the Xs clipped Starfire's shoulder, making a small slash in the purple top of her uniform before continuing past her to a large support pillar. The pillar, gashed to bits by the Xs, came tumbling down on Starfire in pieces.

Starfire, preoccupied with dodging the shattered pillar, didn't see Red X as he ran toward her and slid into her legs, knocking her back down to the ground. He threw an X at her feet that melted into a large puddle of a strange red substance that oozed under Starfire's legs and one of her arms, sticking them to the ground.

"Sorry it had to be like this, babe..." said Red X, standing up and casually walking past the stuck Starfire toward the Dark Ages exhibit. He blew her a kiss as he passed her by, and immediately her eyes began to glow with rage.

"I am not a babe!" shouted Starfire, firing a Starbolt that freed her hand from the ground, then freeing the rest of her body with a well-aimed eye laser. "I am just started to get warmed up!"

Red X turned around and immediately felt a powerful backhand across his face. He was knocked back into one of the side rooms, his back slamming into a pile of cardboard boxes and hurling them all up into the air. The boxes all fell on top of Red X, burying him in a mountain of cardboard.

Starbolts immediately slammed into the pile of boxes, blasting them away and hitting Red X one after another, bruising his body as they impacted.

__

"This DEFINITELY isn't what I wanted to happen..." thought Red X, stinging more and more with every Starbolt that slammed against the outside of his suit. "ENOUGH!"

In desperation, Red X fired a barrage of his own, a barrage of Xs to oppose the Starbolts. The Xs each slammed into a Starbolt, nullifying both in the resulting collision. Wearily, the thief picked himself up out of the ashes of the charred cardboard boxes, his body tingling with pain.

"Have you learned your lesson yet?" asked Starfire, her hands still green with charged-up Starbolt energy. "It appears that you have not..."

"I'm through toying with you, Starfire..." said Red X, his hand pointed straight at Starfire's chest. _"This is going to end, and it's going to end now!"_

Another X shot out of Red X's hand, slamming into Starfire just as she raised her hands to fire a Starbolt. The X quickly expanded into a metal band that encircled Starfire's arms and chest, tightly binding her arms to her sides and behind her back. Another X wrapped itself around Starfire's legs, binding them together as well. As Starfire rolled on the ground, trying to get free, Red X casually walked up to her, nudging her bound form with the sole of his foot.

"Sorry I had to do that, but it was either you or me, and it sure as hell wasn't gonna be me," said Red X, looking directly into Starfire's face. A wave of fear and anger shot through Starfire as she looked back at him, still determined to win the fight.

"You have not won this, Red X... as soon as I get free, I will-"

"Mess me up?" replied Red X, back to his casual, carefree self. "Your friend Cyborg said the same thing, and I don't see him anywhere near here. Face it, Star, you lost fair and square."

Starfire gasped... Red X mentioned Cyborg... which means he might have met some of the others... he might have hurt Robin!

__

"Robin..." thought Starfire, still struggling against the metal bands that held her arms and legs. _"If there is anyone who can beat the Red X, it is Robin... _I bet you have not found Robin yet! When you do, you will certainly be sorry!"

Red X smirked. Starfire was right on the money... Robin was the only Titan whom Red X hadn't encountered since escaping in the elevator... and he'd bet a million dollars that the Boy Wonder was still lurking somewhere, looking for him.

"Robin will find you!" Starfire shouted, her voice loud enough to carry to the entire floor. "He will find you, and he will make you pay for your crimes, you will see!"

Red X certainly didn't need any more interruptions. Exhausted from his fight with Cyborg, Beast Boy, Raven, and now Starfire, he wasn't sure if he'd be able to take the Boy Wonder if he happened to show up... and if Starfire didn't stop yelling, the whole city might show up.

"I'm gonna need you to shut up now," said Red X, pointing his hand at Starfire and firing a sticky X that affixed itself to Starfire's mouth, turning her loud protests into muffled squeaks. "I might come back and free you once I've gotten what I'm after... maybe."

As Starfire began shouting muffled Tamaranian curses at Red X, he used his foot to nudge Starfire into the shadows of the room, out of sight from the main hallway and of any Titans that might happen to walk by. Then, he walked out of the side room and strolled toward the end of the hall and the 'Relics of the Dark Ages' exhibit. By now, he was going to be late to the dance... so he might as well get something to show for it. Being late to the dance _and _being empty-handed would be a total loss for the thief... and he was already sore from the earlier fights.

The Dark Ages exhibit was spread out in the form of a small medieval village, complete with stables, cobblestone buildings and cardboard cutouts of peasants standing out on the streets. At the back of the village was a long hallway leading up to a Gothic-style castle, built probably to about a 1/6 scale of an actual medieval castle. While the small buildings in the mock village contained display cases filled with coins and small tools used during the Dark Ages, Red X was sure that the real prizes, the jewels, would be located in the castle at the back of the exhibit. Ignoring the buildings and cardboard cutouts, Red X continued on to the castle, throwing open the wooden doors and walking inside.

By now, Red X's adrenaline was at its maximum level. His heart was beating rapidly, and sweat was running down his skin on the inside of the tight costume. He took several long, deep breaths before continuing onward into the room that the castle was built to encompass. Surrounded by cobblestone and straw were several long, glass display cases housing suits of armor, ancient swords, and of course, the most valuable thing of all... authentic crowns worn by kings long past, made of gold and studded with priceless gems. Red X looked down into the display cases, his hands pressing firmly against the glass.

__

"This is what I came for," he thought, preparing to place an exploding X on the top of the case. He'd defeated four of the Titans, and was now about to claim his reward. "You're all mine..."

Out of the corner of his eye, a shape out of the shadows rushed toward the thief at a quick pace. Red X rolled out of the way just in time to see the Boy Wonder swing past him on his Batcable, looped around a brick on the outside walls of the fake castle. He released the cable and landed on top of one of the cases, his eyes meeting Red X's own.

"Kid, I already took out your friends," said Red X, his focus now on the Titans' black-haired leader. "What makes you think you can beat me?"

But Robin didn't respond. Instead, he leapt at Red X with a powerful kick, which Red X blocked by sticking his forearm in the way. Robin responded by swinging around, his other leg slamming into Red X's head and knocking him clear through one of the display glasses, his suit shielding him from the sharp glass.

"You're not getting out of here... not without a fight!" Robin shouted, dashing toward Red X. Still trapped inside the display case, his body bent awkwardly within its metal frame, Red X desperately grabbed for something to ward off Robin. His fingers wrapped around a large, diamond-studded sapphire, which he hurled right at Robin's forehead. Robin reached out and grabbed the sapphire, only to have another gem, an emerald, tossed at his shoulder. He caught the gem in his other hand, now stinging from the force of the throw. "Nice try, but-"

An X slammed into the center of Robin's chest and began pulsing with a strong burst of electricity that knocked the crimefighter to his knees, the gems dropping from his hand. Red X leapt out of the shattered display case and kicked Robin in the head, knocking him to the floor on his back.

"Unngh..." Robin groaned as Red X stood over him, his palm pointed right in the Boy Wonder's face. His body weak from the shock, he was helpless at the feet of Red X, and his eyes widened in fear. _"Damn..."_

Suddenly, a metallic fist slammed square into Red X's chest, knocking him into the wall of the castle. As he slumped against the hard stone, he could see Cyborg, plasma cannon pointed right at him. Cyborg fired, and the result of the explosive blast knocked Red X through the wall of the castle and into an empty part of the dark room.

"Cyborg? But how-"

Red X didn't have time to ponder the question, because a dark portal suddenly opened up beneath his feet, releasing a large pillar of dark energy that exploded with such force that Red X was knocked back through the wall of the castle, landing in the straw on his face. Raven stood behind him, her eyes glowing white against the dark glow surrounding her body.

"Raven! Cyborg!" shouted Robin, relieved to see two of his friends safe and sound. "Red X said he took you guys out!"

"It takes a lot more than a few Xs to take out the Teen Titans," said Cyborg, his robotic fist pumping victoriously.

"And besides," said Raven, gesturing to the ceiling above the fallen Red X, "we had a little bit of help..."

Beast Boy, who had morphed into a tiny fly too small for Red X or Robin to see, now transformed into a gigantic whale, poised right above Red X's head. Gravity was now the thief's mortal energy, and a wall of green death was just a few yards away, ready to smash him to ribbons.

__

"No!" thought Red X, painfully getting up and leaping out of the way to escape. Beast Boy landed just inches behind him, impacting with such force that the very walls of the castle began to shake. _"Too close..."_

"Uh, guys..." Beast Boy said as he detransformed, rubbing his head in embarrassment, "I think I kinda missed..."

"You kinda did," said Red X, standing up and firing explosive Xs in all directions, destabilizing the already shaky castle structure even further. "Adios, kids..."

Red X dashed out of the castle, leaving the four Titans scrambling to escape the stone structure that was currently crumbling down upon them.

"Titans, after him!" shouted Robin, pointing at the exit of the castle. As soon as he'd finished speaking, the front wall of the castle crumbled in front of the exit, sealing it shut. "But... not that way!"

Raven tried holding up the structure with her telekinesis, but it was too little, too late. Within seconds, the huge mock castle fell on top of the Teen Titans, burying them in a thick layer of cobblestone rubble. Red X looked back but one time as he ran out of the exhibit like a scalded dog, relieved to have make it out with his freedom... and his life intact.

__

"I'm pretty sure they survived..." thought Red X, turning around and casually walking back through the main hall. "But it's sure going to take them a while to get out of there... meanwhile, I'll be heading to the dance with my tre-"

Red X stopped. Immediately, he realized his error. Though he'd escaped the Titans, he'd escaped... with absolutely nothing!

"Dammit!" Red X shouted, his fists clenched in frustration. He looked back toward the 'Relics of the Dark Ages' exhibit... now shattered and ruined. The gems probably survived, but he'd have to risk another encounter with the Titans to claim them... not worth it by any stretch of the imagination. "I'm such a freaking idiot!"

A weak, muffled squeal quickly drew Red X's attention to the side room. There, crawling out of the shadows, was Starfire, still bound and gagged with the Xs that had been fired at her at the end of her earlier encounter with the thief. Red X smirked.

__

"Don't worry, your friends are just fine... a little dusty, but just fine. I'm sure they'll be by to get you shortly."

Then, a thought crossed Red X's mind. He had no treasure... absolutely nothing to show for his raid on the museum. Sure, he could stop by one of the lower floors to grab a painting or a few ancient documents... or he could escape with something much more.

__

"I wonder how much she's worth to the Titans..." thought Red X, his gaze now completely focused on the alien girl squirming into the main hallway. _"I'm not leaving empty-handed..."_

Thinking that Red X would simply escape into the elevator, Starfire was stunned when she was suddenly picked up into X's arms and carried toward the exit. She let out a loud, muffled scream through the X pasted over her mouth, but that didn't seem to deter the thief from carrying her into the elevator and quickly heading to the ground floor.

"Since your little friends stopped me from getting what I wanted," said Red X, looking down at Starfire's worried face, "you and me are gonna go for a little ride."

Starfire struggled furiously in Red X's arms, but with her arms and legs immobilized, there was little she could do to stop him as he carried her out of the museum and around to the back, where his car was parked. Red X popped the trunk and tossed Starfire inside, briefly checking behind him to make sure no one was watching.

__

"They're probably already coming after me..." thought Red X, focusing his attention back toward Starfire, now screaming loudly in his trunk. _"I'd better hurry..."_

Now more worried about her friends than anything else, Starfire squirmed violently, screaming out to anyone who might be able to hear her.

__

"Why are my friends not coming to help me?" thought Starfire. _"They must be hurt... what has Red X done to them?"_

Starfire's fear turned to anger, and she looked up at Red X, her eyes lighting up with a bright, green glow. Red X looked back at her, watching her futile attempts to escape. Here was Starfire, whom Red X had had a crush on ever since he laid eyes on her... even on that day in Mumbo's shop, when she and the other Titans had saved him and Maddy. A girl who could be gentle, sweet and kind one moment, while determined, furious and strong the next... now trapped helpless in the trunk of a car, completely at Red X's mercy. He watched her for several seconds, her body violently quivering, her chest heaving up and down with every breath she inhaled through her nose... and suddenly, he found his hand traveling slowly toward her chest.

__

"She's helpless..." thought Red X. _"I can do whatever I want to-"_

He stopped and shook his head. What the hell was he thinking... Starfire was helpless, how could he even consider doing anything to her?

__

"I'm a thief, not a rapist," thought Red X, quickly pulling his hand back and raising it to his mouth, then lowering it to his chest, tracing the Sign of the Cross. _"Lust... I'll need to confess that to the priest."_

Red X pointed his hand at the lid of the trunk and created a thick layer of Xynothium that would withstand Starfire's kicks and perhaps even her eye lasers if she tried fighting her way out of the trunk. Then, he closed the lid, trapping her in darkness. He slowly walked over to the front door of the car. He climbed inside, threw his mask onto the back seat, and put his hand to his forehead.

"Maybe this _wasn't_ such a good idea..." thought Sanza, sweat pouring down his face. He grabbed the Red X mask and stared at it for several seconds before shoving it into his glove compartment. Burglary was one thing... but kidnapping? Especially a Teen Titan? "No doubt the others will know she's gone..."

Sanza sat in his driver's seat for nearly a minute, not even bothering to put the keys into the car's ignition. Every few seconds, he would hear a loud bump, or a faint, muffled scream as Starfire tried furiously to escape the trunk or call out for help.

__

"I've gotta get to that dance..." thought Sanza, putting the key into the ignition of the car and turning it slowly. _"I'll figure out what to do there..."_

As soon as the car started, the CD player in the dash began to play. It was John Cena's 'Bad, Bad Man'... a fitting tune for what Sanza had certainly become. Sanza pulled out of the parking lot and onto the streets of the city, heading toward his school and turning up the radio to drown out the noise Starfire was making.

"I can't think about Starfire or the museum now..." Sanza said quietly to himself. "That's something for Red X to think about..."

O-O-O

Sanza pulled into the parking lot, parking his mother's car and removing the rest of the Red X suit before he got out. He shoved the suit in the glove compartment with his mask and climbed out of the car, ready to have a good time at the dance, but still retaining Starfire in the back of his mind. He took one last glance at the trunk before walking toward the school, rapping John Cena's song to himself as he entered the building.

O-O-O

Starfire's been kidnapped, the other Titans are still trapped, and Red X is headed to his next calling... the school dance? It's certainly shaping up to be a wild night... and it's sure to only get wilder!


	4. Dancing Oblivious

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Teen Titans. If I did, this would be on TV and not here.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This doesn't take place in the same storyline as my "Forced Base" and "Fractured Heart" stories, so forget those when you're reading this. Also, this takes place after the fourth season, so anything that happens in the show after that isn't applicable to this. Also, about Sanza/Red X: When he's wearing the mask, he's Red X. When he's not, he's Sanza. Simple as that.

O-O-O

Sanza could hear the music as soon as he entered the building. It was loud, powerful, pulsating, and all-pervading, sweeping through him and immediately putting him in a 'party' mood. He quickly found his way to the gym and walked inside.

The room was dark except for the strobe lights filling every corner of the spacious gym, as well as the light from the huge screen at the front of the gym, showing the music video for every song that played. As soon as Sanza walked into the gym, he heard a very familiar voice...

"Sanza! I thought you weren't going to show..."

It was Cleo, dressed in an almost skin-tight tanktop and a long pair of blue jeans with the legs cut off at the bottom. Though Sanza was almost twenty minutes late, Cleo didn't mind, sweeping her friend into her arms in a hug before taking his hand and leading him to the rest of his friends.

"Sorry about that, Cleo... just had some stuff to take care-"

"Excuses, excuses..." Cleo replied, a smile on her face. "You're here now, and we're gonna dance!"

"Sanza can't dance!" shouted Sanza's friend Rob, standing with his girlfriend Marcy in the middle of a small crowd of people. He peered over the ground and saw Sanza and Cleo coming toward him. "Hey, Sanza! You enjoying yourself?"

"I just got here," said Sanza, rolling his eyes as the song that had been playing when he walked in came to an end. _"And now I'm going to have a good time. I can't spend the whole night thinking about Starfire..."_

But of course, thinking about not thinking about Starfire just made Sanza think about Starfire more. What if she suffocated in the trunk? What if she got out? What if someone found her? What if her friends showed up? The next song that began to play certainly didn't help...

"Oooh, the Teen Titans song!" squealed Cleo, the song obviously being one of her favorites. Written by the band Puffy Ami Yumi after the Titans had saved them during one of their concerts, the song had become a big hit... especially in Jump City, where the Titans called home. As soon as Sanza heard the song, adrenaline began coursing through his body... the kind of adrenaline rush only Red X was used to having. "Sanza, dance with me!"

Cleo launched into a flurry of quick dance moves, flailing her arms and legs about to the rhythm of the song. Sanza watched her for three seconds before breaking out into laughter. Cleo stopped her dancing, frowned, and grabbed Sanza by the arm.

"Okay, Sanza... let's see you dance to it!" Cleo said, swinging Sanza around and releasing him, causing him to stagger a few steps before rhythmically moving his arms and legs back and forth. He began laughing again.

"Sanza, you look like an idiot!" shouted Rob, laughing even harder than Sanza was.

"You'd better not call him stuff unless you can dance any better..." replied Marcy, elbowing him in the side. As the song continued, Sanza danced across from Cleo, quickly becoming more and more relaxed by the second.

__

"I'm here to have fun," thought Sanza, smiling and taking in the glorious irony of the Teen Titans' theme song filling the gym. _"And that's what I'm gonna do..."_

O-O-O

But a certain group of individuals weren't having any fun... after almost being crushed by a destroyed castle exhibit, they realized that they'd lost the criminal they were chasing... and after they left the museum, they realized they'd lost someone far more important.

"Okay, next time we go after X, _we're _picking the battleground," said Beast Boy, picking some of the rubble from the castle out of his ears. "One of the bricks from that castle fell right on my butt! I won't be sitting for a week!"

"Get over it," replied Raven, "because we're still going after X."

"Wait a minute..." said Robin, quickly scanning the entire parking lot, then the group of Titans. "Starfire's not here..."

"I thought she was with you!" said Cyborg. Robin shook his head, and a worried expression appeared on his face. Immediately, Raven could sense the change in Robin's emotions brought about by Starfire being missing. Robin's anger at not catching X nearly disappeared, replaced by concern for his friend and teammate.

"When did you guys last see her?" Robin asked, taking out his Titans communicator and using it to call Starfire.

"The last time I saw her was when we were all together inside the museum on the first floor," said Raven. "Red X went into the elevator, and-"

"She's not answering..." said Robin, frantically trying to radio his friend. "Starfire? Are you there? Starfire?"

"Let me just triangulate her coordinates on my communicator," said Cyborg, pressing several buttons on his own T-Com. "It can detect the locator beacon sent out by any of the other Titans, remember? Now let's see here..."

"I bet she went out to get something to eat," said Beast Boy, rubbing his stomach. "I know that's what I'd do..."

"Beast Boy, this is serious!" Robin shouted, a hint of anger in his voice. "Starfire could be in serious danger!"

"She's behind the museum... at least that's what it says on the-"

Immediately, Robin dashed away from the rest of the group and ran behind the museum, followed close behind by Raven, Beast Boy, and Cyborg.

__

"Please be okay, please be okay..." thought Robin, worried that Starfire may have been knocked out behind the museum, or badly injured... or worse. But when the Titans got there, all they saw was Starfire's communicator lying on the ground... followed by a set of tire tracks that led around to the front of the museum, then vanished. Robin ran to the communicator and picked it up... it was apparently the last thing Starfire had touched before she'd vanished, and the scuff marks on its surface indicated that it had taken a fall. "No..."

"Where is she?" asked Cyborg, looking back and forth.

"Gone..." said Raven, scanning the immediate area for any sign of her fellow Titan. All she saw was the alley behind the museum, a few trash cans, and several large buildings. "X must have taken her..."

"STARFIRE!" shouted Robin, his head pointed toward the sky. He clenched his fists, allowing the harsh reality of the discarded communicator and Starfire's disappearance to sink in. X had taken her... Red X, someone who'd once saved the Titans, someone whom Robin might one day actually begin to trust... now that would never happen. Red X had kidnapped Starfire, the one person Robin cared about more than any other... and Robin was going to get her back.

"We'll find her, Robin..." said Cyborg, placing his hand on Robin's shoulder.

"Yeah... she's our friend, we've gotta get her away from X!" Beast Boy chimed in. "You can count on us, we'll-"

"I'll find you, Starfire..." said Robin, ignoring his friends and aimlessly wandering back to the front of the museum, with Starfire's communicator in his hand. "No matter what it takes... I swear, I'll find you... _and Red X... if you've hurt Starfire in any way... I swear with all that is in me, I will break you in half!_"

O-O-O

The cold darkness of the trunk, combined with its enclosed dimensions, was enough to make Starfire extremely nervous, though she tried to steel herself against fear as best she could. Her glowing green eyes gave her a bit of light, but light was useless when she couldn't even move her arms and legs.

With a muffled shout, Starfire kicked the top lid of the trunk with her bound feet... normally, the lid would have flown right off, but with the layer of Xynothium Red X had placed before he closed the lid and trapped the Tamaranian girl in darkness, the kick didn't even make a dent. Unshaken, Starfire kicked the trunk repeatedly, determined to escape.

__

"I am strong... I can get out of here," thought Starfire, trying to reassure herself as she continued kicking the trunk lid. _"But I do wish my friends would find me soon..."_

O-O-O

As the dance went on, Sanza became more and more enveloped in the fun he and his friends were having. He and Cleo had danced together on several slow dance songs, and now, as the dance picked up again, a series of techno songs filled the gym.

"Hey!" Rob shouted at the DJ as he and Marcy walked over to the side of the gym to sit next to Sanza and Cleo on the row of bleachers that had been pulled out to use as a makeshift bench. "Listen to what Eminem said! It's over! NOBODY LISTENS TO TECHNO!"

"Sit down," said Sanza, pulling Rob onto the bench. "At least they're not playing Menudo."

"Should I go request it?" asked Cleo with a giggle.

"Listen, Sanza... sorry I said that you can't dance earlier," said Rob, recalling an earlier part of the night where Sanza had tried to breakdance and had gotten his leg bent back at an awkward angle when he landed wrong. "I mean, you totally served everybody in the gym with your mad breakdancing skills!"

"My leg _still _hurts," Sanza replied, smiling and wincing at the same time. Immediately, Cleo's soft hands began gently rubbing Sanza's leg, trying to massage it back into feeling better. Sanza smiled. Cleo was certainly no Starfire... of course, no one in the world could compare to her in Sanza's eyes, but she was still Sanza's friend, and very pretty at that. Sanza leaned over to Cleo and kissed her on the cheek. Her hands quickly stopped rubbing Sanza's leg, and she turned and looked at her friend, who began to blush with embarrassment.

"Sanza Salazar, were you trying to put the moves on me?" Cleo asked, a scowl on her face.

"Oooh, I think he was..." said Rob, chuckling as Sanza began trying to scoot away from Cleo.

But quickly, Cleo's scowl turned into a smile as she leaned forward and kissed Sanza on the lips for several seconds, wrapping her arms tightly around his back. Both Rob and Marcy gasped.

"Whoa... way to go, Sanza!" shouted Rob.

"Yeah... way to go, homes..."

Sanza and Cleo stopped kissing and looked up. There, two more of Sanza's friends were standing... two kids in leather jackets, one tall and one short. Their hair was black, and they each had a toothpick in their mouth. They were Vick and Mick, two troubled teens who had served a brief stint in juvenile hall for stealing Cyborg's T-Car soon after it had been built. Sanza smiled at them, not too angry about them interrupting he and Cleo's kiss.

"You guys lookin' to start somethin'?" Sanza asked jokingly, standing up and giving both of them a high-five. "Where are your dates?"

"Didn't bring 'em," said Vick, the taller of the two kids, chewing on his toothpick and smirking in that 'too cool for school or anything else for that matter' fashion. "We're too sexy for dates."

"Yeah, totally too sexy, and cool," replied Mick, brushing his hand back through his hair. "So, what's hanging, essa?"

Though Vick and Mick weren't Hispanic... hell, they were even whiter than Rob, they still liked to joke around with Sanza by frequently using Mexican lingo in his presence. Of course, the only Mexican lingo they ever learned was the kind Eddie Guerrero used in his WWE promos. The only reason Sanza didn't pound the crap out of Vick and Mick was that he was more amused than offended by them, and at times, they were pretty cool friends.

"Well, as you can see, Sanza and I were in the middle of something..." said Cleo, a smile appearing on her face. "Isn't that right, Sanza?"

"That's okay," said Vick, spitting out his toothpick on the ground. "Mick and I were just gonna chill over by the wall... you and Cleo enjoy yourselves, okay?"

As Vick and Mick walked away, Sanza leaned back against the wall of bleachers behind him, letting out a loud yawn.

"They bore you too?" Rob asked, slapping Sanza hard on the back. "You know those guys are convicted felons, right? Grand theft auto?"

"Of course I know," replied Sanza, "but c'mon, how dangerous can a couple of car thieves be?"

"Sanza's right... he knows which of his friends are good and which ones aren't," said Cleo, smiling at Sanza and Rob. "Well... 'cept for one of em, with spiky bleached hair, and no sense of humor, and-"

"HEY!" Rob shouted, though he should've seen the obvious joke that Cleo was going to make a mile away. "Sanza, you gotta defend your buddy, man! What about bros before hos?"

That comment earned Rob a hard elbow in the side from Marcy, and a loud laugh from Sanza, who was now completely absorbed in the antics of his friends. It was times like this that almost made Sanza regret being Red X... regret the heavy burden he'd placed on himself by taking up the charge to protect his family.

But it was also times like this, when he could laugh and joke with his friends while at the same time having one of the Teen Titans bound and gagged in the trunk of his mother's car without anyone else even beginning to suspect a thing, that made Sanza proud of himself and the skill with which he could juggle the two personalities.

"Hey Mick..." said Vick, leaning against the wall across the gym from Sanza and his friends. "Did you see that car Sanza drove in here today?"

"Yeah... it was a convertible, wasn't it? I mean, the top was up, but it was still a pretty nice car," said Mick. "I wonder how he got wheels like that?"

"Hey... wanna go check it out?" asked Vick, gesturing toward one of the exits of the gym. He looked over at Sanza, still laughing and joking with his friends. "I mean, it's not like Sanza's gonna know or anything..."

Mick nodded, and the two teenage hooligans headed out to the parking lot.

O-O-O

Sanza's mother's car was a small, red convertible, though its black top was currently up. It was a nearly new car, a model just two years old. As Vick and Mick looked over the car, running their hands over its smooth, nearly waxed surface, they didn't hear the screams and struggles of the trapped Titan in its trunk.

"This car... is the greatest car... in the history of cars," said Mick, nearly drooling on its polished hood. "We gotta go inside!"

The doors were unlocked, and soon, Vick and Mick found themselves inside the car. Vick was in the driver's seat, and Mick was in the passenger's seat.

"Yo... how do I look, homes?" asked Vick, his hands assuming the position on the steering wheel. "Do I look like Eddie Guerrero, essa?"

"You look like a white dumbass," Mick replied, "but maybe once we get on the road, you'll look a little better."

Of course, Vick and Mick couldn't get on the road. They'd already been convicted of stealing one car... if they were caught stealing another, they'd be in jail until they were twenty-one! Neither one of them wanted that... and besides, they didn't have the keys. Without the keys, they couldn't start the car. Or could they?

"Hey... let's hotwire this thing and take it for a joyride," said Vick, getting out of the car and running around to the front hood. Mick followed him out of the car, slightly more nervous than his taller partner.

"What if Sanza finds out?" asked Mick, nervously looking back and forth. "If he knows we stole his car-"

"We'll bring it back," said Vick, lifting the hood and connecting two wires underneath. Almost immediately, the car's ignition started. "We're just gonna take her out, see how she handles... better than that cruddy T-Car, I bet."

Still bitter about being thwarted by Cyborg and the Teen Titans, Vick and Mick climbed back into the front of Sanza's mother's car, closing the doors and relishing in their victory.

Meanwhile, Starfire could hear the car begin to start. Thinking it was Red X transporting her somewhere else, she let out a loud scream through the tape X, her struggles intensifying as she desperately tried to escape the trunk. The sound of Starfire's scream registered to the thieves as a small squeak. Of course, they had no idea what the sound was. Still, it made them nervous.

"What was that?" Vick asked, looking toward the back of the car. "Did you hear something?"

"Nah, I didn't hear nothin'... but still, maybe we shouldn't be doing this. What if Sanza comes after us? What if the Teen Titans come after us?"

"Mick, chill out, man," Vick said as he steered the car out of its parking space and drove toward the street. "There isn't a Teen Titan around for miles!"

The car pulled out into the street and sped off. Vick and Mick were completely unaware that their little joyride would have implications that the two could not possibly begin to fathom...

O-O-O

The car rode through busy city streets, illuminated by white streetlights shining brightly through Jump City's evening darkness. Vick and Mick were having the time of their lives in the convertible, pushing it to speeds exceeding a hundred miles an hour when they could get away with it. And all the while, Starfire was in the trunk, screaming to anyone within earshot that could help her.

"I keep hearing something from the trunk," said Vick, keeping one eye on the road and using the other eye to look out the window. "Think we might've popped it open?"

"Probably just needs oil or something," Mick replied as the car sped around a corner at nearly eighty miles an hour. The car was now pulling into the main street of downtown Jump City, and the heavy nighttime traffic forced the two boys to slow down to a somewhat reasonable fifty miles an hour. "Hey... wanna take this thing racing?"

Vick had learned something from he and Mick's previous car-stealing experience. They'd only gotten into trouble when they took the car out on the track. Plus, they'd been banned from the car racing arena anyway.

"Nah, if we race for pinks and lose Sanza's car, he'll kill us," Vick replied. "And even if we don't put up the car, we're still banned from there anyway."

"Aw, come on... we stole this car, we're already in trouble, we might as well take the risk, right?"

"Aren't you the one who said stealing this car was a bad idea anyway?"

"Point taken," said Mick, spitting his toothpick out the window. "We need to do something cool with this car, though... Oooh, I know! Let's take off that sick jump at the landfill! You know, the big mountain of trash?"

An enormous hill made of tightly compacted trash lay at the center of the city dump, a monument to Jump City's waste and refuse. A few brave souls had ridden their bikes or mopeds off the hill, but no one had dared jump a car off of it... if the car happened to flip, the damage would be catastrophic, as the hill was nearly a hundred feet tall. But that night, Vick and Mick were feeling brave... or maybe they were just being jackasses.

"Sweet," said Vick, turning at the next stoplight and driving toward the Jump City Dump at seventy miles an hour. "Time to make car history! WOOOO!"

O-O-O

The dump was deserted at night, save for the few guard dogs that were strategically placed around the area to ward off looters. Vick drove the car through the entrance usually reserved for trucks. As soon as the two entered the dump, they could see the enormous mountain of trash in front of them, beckoning them to fulfill their wildest juvenile delinquent dreams.

They drove closer and closer to the mountain, positioning the car so that it was about two hundred feet away from the mountain's base. That way, they could build up enough speed to be able to get up the mountain and take the jump.

Starfire, hearing the car stop once again, began screaming and kicking at the trunk lid. But Vick and Mick, caught up in their glorious stunt, could only concentrate on the task at hand.

"Today," said Mick with an air of reverence, "we drive our car into the history books. Today, we stop being just ordinary street trash, and become legendary street trash."

"We drive our car to the heavens, and flip the finger at God himself!"

"Immortality!" shouted Mick, pointing at the gas pedal. "It's ours! TAKE IT!"

Vick floored the gas pedal, and the car zoomed toward the front of the trash mountain, going from 0 to 60 in less than five seconds. Feeling the sudden rush of acceleration in the trunk, Starfire let out a loud scream, wondering what Red X, who she presumed was still driving, was possibly going to accomplish by driving so quickly.

__

"He is going to kill us both!" thought Starfire, closing her eyes and huddling up in the trunk as best she could. _"Please, do not do this!"_

"WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Vick screamed. The car was going eighty-eight miles an hour when it hit the front of the mountain, immediately pulling up onto the incline and slowing only slightly. The car reached the top in a little more than two seconds. But as it approached the actual peak, the structural integrity of the mountain began to give way from the car's weight. As the mountain began to crumble, the car jolted forward, then back as the top of the mountain started to fall away.

Immediately, Vick and Mick realized why no one had ever tried jumping the mountain in a car before.

"Oh, shit!" Mick screamed, just as the car went over the top of the mountain of trash. Behind them, they could hear scrap metal, old newspapers, Styrofoam, and rotten food crashing to the ground. But they had done it... if just barely. The car soared through the air before hitting the ground several seconds later. "YES! YES!"

As the car came to a stop, the two boys exchanged high-fives in the front seat, while in the trunk, Starfire was beginning to hyperventilate.

__

"That was... horrible... and... I thought... I was going... to die..." thought Starfire, air wheezing rapidly in and out of her nose. A single tear made its way down her face, and she kicked the trunk lid in frustration, both angry at her captor and angry at herself for actually being so scared that she was about to cry. _"You have to get through this, Starfire... the others will come... Robin will come..."_

The thumping on the trunk lid immediately caught the attention of both Vick and Mick, who looked behind them and listened closer.

"Something's coming from inside our trunk, man," said Vick, pointing back toward the trunk with a puzzled look on his face. "Maybe we should go check it out..."

But before Mick could respond, the sound of a man shouting, as well as several dogs barking, came out of the distance.

"Hey!" shouted the man's voice, shining a flashlight in the car's direction. "Whoever's over there, don't move!"

The sound of the mountain of trash collapsing brought the attention of a night watchman posted outside the dump.

"We'll go to the park and check it out there," said Vick, starting the car back up and speeding out of the dump before the security guard could approach the car. "We did it, man... we jumped Trash Mountain!"

"Hell yeah, we did!" said Mick, high-fiving Vick again as the car raced toward Jump City Park. _"But I wonder what the hell was making all that noise in the trunk?"_

O-O-O

It was nearly midnight now, and the dance was beginning to wind itself down. Sanza, Cleo, Rob, and Marcy had been talking and dancing nearly the whole evening, and had had a wonderful time. But as the end of the dance inevitably approached, Sanza once again started thinking about Starfire. He sat back down on the bleachers and put his head in his hands, wondering what he was going to do with her once he got back out to his car. The initial plan had been to use her as a bargaining chip to extort valuables from the Teen Titans, but now Sanza had no idea what he was going to do, or even what he had taken Starfire for in the first place.

Then he remembered the first time he'd faced off against the Titans... and how he'd managed to get Starfire pinned against the wall. And what was the first thing he said to her?

__

"The real crime here is that we haven't gone out on a..." Red X didn't get to finish that sentence, but the final word was obviously going to be 'date'. He'd wanted to go out with Starfire... of course, that was impossible. He was a criminal, she was a hero... was that why he'd really taken her?

But he could never force himself on Starfire... he could never forgive himself if he hurt her. Sanza sighed again. He was hurting her just by taking her prisoner... she'd probably been in that trunk for five hours now, dark, and scared, and alone, and...

Rob and Marcy were still out on the dance floor, while Cleo had walked over to whisper something to the DJ. Sanza put his head in his hands again, still thinking silently to himself. _I've hurt Starfire... isn't that exactly what I'm trying _not _to do?_

"And now, the last song of the night goes out to Sanza Salazar from his friend Cleo Encina... from the Phantom of the Opera soundtrack, it's 'Think Of Me'."

As the song began, Cleo walked over to Sanza and slowly extended her hand to him.

"Sanza... would you like to...?"

Sanza stood up and took Cleo's hand. A smile crossed his face, and as Cleo led him out to the dance floor, the beautiful song echoing through the entire gym, he once more forgot about Starfire and remembered his life as Sanza Salazar. He remembered his family, his friends, and all the good things he had...

And for the first time that night, he truly felt at peace.

O-O-O

Vick parked the car in a small parking lot in a remote area of the park, surrounded by trees and illuminated by a single street light. Then, the two teens climbed out of the car and walked around to the trunk. Vick had bent a coat hanger that had been on the floor into a long, straight metal rod that could pick the lock of the trunk.

"I'm still thinking this trunk needs to be oiled," said Mick, as Vick began jimmying the coat hanger in the lock. Another loud thump sounded, and this time the two boys could clearly hear it because of their proximity to the trunk. "Okay, maybe we should open it quick now."

A loud clicking noise sounded, and the trunk lid began to open. Vick opened it the rest of the way... and the two boys were confronted with the most shocking sight of their lives. Starfire, her arms and legs bound with red metal, a red X covering her lower face, writhing in front of them, her words unintelligible. Vick and Mick immediately jumped back.

"Holy shit, dude!" Vick shouted. "Is that... that who I think it is?"

"That can't be," replied Mick, rubbing his eyes and looking at Starfire again. "Maybe it's just a wig..."

Mick began tugging at Starfire's hair. She let out a squeal of protest through the sticky X, wincing her eyes in pain. Mick released his grip on the Tamaranian girl's hair and stepped back again.

Starfire, seeing her chance to escape, shot a green laser from her eyes that barely missed hitting Vick in the face, flying past him and blowing up a nearby tree.

"That's definitely Starfire... you know what this means?" shouted Vick, starting to freak out.

"That you're a damn liar about there not being any Titans around?" asked Mick, sweat pouring down his face.

"I don't know how he did it, but he captured one of the Teen Titans," replied Vick, shaking his head in disbelief. _"And we nearly got killed by that Cyborg guy... what kind of drugs is Sanza on?"_

"Well, what do we do with her?" asked Mick, staring Starfire up and down. Meanwhile, Starfire, unsure of whether the two boys would hurt or help her, shot them as pleading a look as she could, trying to mumble out 'help me'.

"I dunno... maybe if we turn her in to the cops or something, we'll get a reward!" said Vick, pacing back and forth and running his hands through his hair. Both he and Mick were starting to get nervous. Vick lowered his voice to a whisper so that Starfire couldn't hear him. "But if we do that, Sanza might... I mean, if he captured one of the Titans-"

Mick began whispering as well, and Starfire wondered what the two boys were saying.

"We've gotta turn her in and get the cops to help us! I mean, we stole Sanza's car, but we could say that we did it to help Starfire!"

"So we're gonna take her to the cops then?" Vick said, causing Starfire's eyebrows to raise.

__

"Yes!" thought Starfire, her spirits beginning to finally lift. _"Thank you, kind Samaritans... my friends and I will reward you greatly for your bravery and kindness!"_

The trunk was soon slammed shut over Starfire's head, causing an annoyed groan to escape the Tamaranian's lips. The two now faced away from the trunk, discussing their plan.

"So we take her straight to the cops, agreed?" said Vick, wiping sweat from his forehead. Mick nodded, and the two turned around.

What they saw on top of the car caused them both to shout. The man who had seemingly appeared out of nowhere crouched half in the light of the streetlamp, while his other half remained cloaked in shadow. His only visible eye stared menacingly at the two petrified street hoodlums.

"Good evening gentlemen," said Slade, not moving from his position crouched on top of the car. "I see you have some very interesting cargo there..."

O-O-O

Slade is back... you figured he'd probably show up sooner or later, but I guess for Mick and Vick it's a total shock, ne? So what will become of the two hoods, as well as Starfire and the other Titans? And what of Sanza? The winds of discord collide in the next chapter, and believe me, it will be a heckuva show!


	5. Walk For Miles Inside This Pit Of Danger

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Teen Titans. If I did, this would be on TV and not here.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This doesn't take place in the same storyline as my "Forced Base" and "Fractured Heart" stories, so forget those when you're reading this. Also, this takes place after the fourth season, so anything that happens in the show after that isn't applicable to this. Also, about Sanza/Red X: When he's wearing the mask, he's Red X. When he's not, he's Sanza. Simple as that.

O-O-O

Though it had been a wonderful night for Sanza, all good things must come to an end, and that includes the fall dance. After the final song ended, the students began to file out of the gym, walking to their own cars in the parking lot or waiting for their parents to come pick them up. Sanza, Cleo, Rob, and Marcy walked out together into the parking lot. Outside, the wind was beginning to pick up, and a clap of thunder could faintly be heard.

"We'd better get in the car before it starts raining..." said Rob, walking out to his car with Marcy. "I'll see you in school tomorrow, Sanza!"

"Seeya, Rob..." said Sanza, who began scanning the parking lot for his own car, unaware that it had been stolen by his 'friends' Vick and Mick. "That's weird... I thought my car was-"

"I'd better get to my own car too, Sanza," said Cleo, leaning over and kissing her friend on the cheek. By now, it had begun sprinkling droplets of rain, and another thunderclap sounded, a clear indication of the coming storm. "I had a wonderful evening... I'll see you at school, okay?"

Cleo ran to her car and pulled out of the parking lot, leaving Sanza alone among the thinning crowds of students. Sighing and putting his hands into his pockets, Sanza slowly began walking toward where he'd remembered he'd parked his car.

__

"It's getting pretty late," thought Sanza, looking up to see a bright flash of lightning in the sky. A few seconds later, a thunderclap registered the lightning bolt, indicating that the storm wasn't too far away. _"I can't just keep Starfire in my trunk all night, can I?"_

Now Sanza began to worry again. If he was going to threaten the Titans with Starfire, he'd have to do it tonight. School was the following morning, and if he kept Starfire overnight _and_ through school the next day, she'd be unattended for sixteen hours. She could be found, or worse, she could come into harm by being without human contact for so long.

But what happened to Starfire would be a moot point if Sanza couldn't find his car... and as Sanza continued to look, he realized that his car was nowhere to be seen. He ran over to the exact spot that he remembered parking his car... but there was nothing there. The rain had intensified, and Sanza was rapidly being doused with water. The night was cold from the effect of the wind and rain, causing Sanza to shiver slightly, his heart pounding faster and faster with each second.

"Where the hell is my car?" Sanza shouted, looking around the parking lot. _"Oh no... what if... what if the cops found it, and towed it? What if the Titans were able to find Starfire?"_

Another loud clap of thunder, but by now, the storm was no longer on Sanza's mind. His car was gone, and he was sure that it was because the Titans had found it. They'd found out he'd kidnapped Starfire... they found out he was Red X... Sanza's life was over... how could he be so careless?

The cell phone in Sanza's left pocket rang. Most likely, it was his mother, calling to see when he would be home. Sanza cringed at the thought of having to tell her the car was missing. Reluctantly, he pulled out his cell phone and answered it.

"Hello?"

The voice at the other end wasn't Sanza's mother... in fact, it sounded like no one Sanza had ever heard before.

"Am I speaking to Sanza Salazar, or Red X?"

The voice was deep, while at the same time having a contemplative, methodical quality that made it seem almost... sinister. Sanza nearly dropped the phone, but kept his grip at the last second and nervously choked out "Who is this?"

"Let's just say I'm a fan of yours... an admirer, if you will. I must say, you have excellent taste in hostages. I'll bet the Teen Titans are looking for you... well, four of them, anyway," the voice continued.

__

"Whoever's at the other end knows I'm Red X... knows I have Starfire..." thought Sanza, his body shaking more from fear than it was from the coldness of the wind and rain now whipping his body. Still, he managed to steel himself enough to retain the confidence in his voice. Whoever this person was, Sanza knew he couldn't afford to show any fear. "What the hell do you want?"

"I'd like you to meet me at the park... come alone, or don't, it's up to you, although anyone you bring is going to learn your secret. Actually, I guess it's not much of a secret anymore, is it?"

Sanza didn't know how to respond. Was this some sort of trap? Maybe this person was a cop, who'd found Starfire and was now trying to get Sanza to show himself so that he could be arrested... no, that couldn't be the case. The person at the other end definitely wasn't a cop... the voice gave Sanza chills.

But if Sanza didn't come, he knew that the person on the other end of the phone would find him... he found the car and Starfire, and he would find Sanza too.

"I'll be there," Sanza replied.

"Good... I'll be waiting for you. Since you don't have your car, I'll wait a little while... but try to get here as quickly as you can. It'll be much more fun that way."

Sanza ended the call and began running toward the park as fast as his legs could carry him, ignoring the thunder, the lightning, the wind and the rain. Sanza couldn't be bothered with a storm... he knew he had much bigger problems to worry about.

O-O-O

Someone else in Jump City was ignoring the storm... a creature of the night, unhindered by fear or adversity, fueled only by determination to find his friend.

The Titans had all split up to search the city for Starfire, and though Raven, Cyborg, and Beast Boy certainly looked diligently for her, Robin was the most determined of all, scouring the city and every nook and cranny of it he could find. He leapt from building to building, looking up to the sky and down into dark, dirty alleys, doing everything he could to find... her.

__

"Wherever you are, Starfire... I'm going to find you... I made you a promise, and I'm going to keep it," thought Robin, standing out on an elevated balcony on one of the largest buildings in Jump City. Through his night-vision binoculars, he could see cars, people, and even the smallest of street animals... but no Starfire, not even a hint of her. As he looked, lightning struck a nearby building, creating such a powerful boom that it nearly threw Robin from his perch. But he was undeterred, keeping his feet planted on the balcony and paying little attention to the lightning that, had it struck the building he was on, very well could have killed him. "STARFIRE!"

O-O-O

Sanza reached the park in just ten minutes of running, taking every shortcut he knew to reach Jump City Park as quickly as possible. The park was still quite large, and he knew that his car, Starfire, and the mysterious caller would still be hard to find. That was complicated by the fact that the rain, now in the form of a torrential downpour, made visibility at the park nearly zero. Only streetlights that lit up the park's winding walkways could provide any sort of stable landmarks for Sanza to follow.

He had no idea what he was getting into, though he knew what had started it. He never should have taken Starfire... he should have cut his losses at the museum and gone ahead to the dance. Instead, he let his emotions and his sense of entitlement take over... and he grabbed Starfire when he realized he couldn't have anything else.

Now _someone _knew who Sanza was. The secret he'd kept for six months, the incredible job he'd done not letting anyone know the identity of the master thief Red X, all that hard work... completely gone. And for what? He could only hope that the mysterious caller hadn't harmed Starfire... because then it would be Sanza's fault.

Another flash of lightning lit up the entire park... and there, in the shadows, was the outline of a face. Or half of a face, anyway... half concealed by a mask, half concealed by the shadows. Sanza ran toward the mysterious face, allowing the lightning to guide him forward. After a few seconds of running, he began to hear muffled cries over the rain and the thunder, and he stopped running toward the face and ran toward the sound, which just happened to be off in a slightly different direction. As the sounds grew louder and louder, Sanza hoped for something, anything to give him light to see the source of the sound...

A bolt of lightning gave Sanza his wish. There, just a short distance in front of him were his friends Vick and Mick, tied with cables to a tree. Tape had been placed over their mouths, and their eyes reflected the same fear that Sanza had seen in Starfire after placing her in the trunk.

"Vick? Mick? What the hell are-"

"You know, for being your friends, they certainly don't behave like it... stealing your car and all."

The voice came from behind Sanza, and when he turned around, another flash of lightning shot through the sky, lighting up the park and revealing Sanza's mysterious caller once and for all. It was a man Sanza had seen only in pictures on the news... a criminal mastermind unlike any Jump City had ever seen.

__

"Slade..." thought Sanza, his entire body beginning to tremble. He took a single step back, forgetting completely that his friends Vick and Mick had taken his car, and focusing only on a single, horrible fact. _"Slade knows my secret... he knows that I'm Red X..."_

"Let's take a walk, shall we?"

Slade turned and began walking down a path illuminated by street lights, giving no visual indication of whether or not he wanted Sanza to follow him. Sanza took one last look at Vick and Mick, whose muffled cries clearly begged their friend to save them.

__

"I should help them, but... they're part of the reason I'm in this mess," thought Sanza, turning back toward the path and following Slade, ignoring the cries of his friends. _"You guys can just chill out there for a while..."_

As Sanza began to follow Slade, his nervousness continually tried to surface. He was getting another adrenaline rush again, and there were several times that he wondered whether or not to just turn and flee, go back home and forget that Slade had ever called him...

But he couldn't do that now. Slade knew Sanza's secret, and if he didn't follow Slade now, Slade would follow him... back home, to Maddy and his mother. And then Sanza would be failing in the one mission he'd promised to fulfill since putting on the suit... he'd be failing to protect his family.

Sanza followed Slade to the small parking lot where Vick and Mick had parked Sanza's mother's car more than half an hour ago. It was still there, unmoved from its original spot. The thumps and loud muffled cries from inside the trunk indicated that Starfire too was unmoved.

From inside the trunk, Starfire could hear only indecipherable noises, unsure who was talking and certainly unsure of what they were saying. The car had been stopped for quite some time, and Starfire wondered whether or not her 'saviors' had been held up before they could return her to the police station like they'd promised.

"So, Slade..." said Sanza in as confident and casual of a voice he could, knowing that Slade would pounce on any sign of fear, "how did you find out, anyway?"

"I've been watching you, Sanza..." replied Slade, pacing back and forth in front of the trunk that held Starfire, his every step pronounced and prominent. "For the past week I've been following you, watching your every move, trying to learn all I could about the man who'd stolen the incredible supersuit. Even I was surprised to find out that it had been taken by a mere boy."

Sanza couldn't believe what he was hearing. Slade had been stalking him! He must have followed him as Red X back to his home and had watched him change out of the suit. But if Slade knew who Sanza was, and where Sanza lived... he might be a danger to Sanza's family as well.

"You stalked me, Slade... I can't believe it," said Sanza, no longer able to conceal the growing fear on his face.

"I prefer to call it... protecting my investment," Slade replied. He ceased pacing in front of the trunk and began walking up to Sanza, waiting until he was just a few feet away from him before continuing to speak. "You see, for quite some time now, I've been looking for an apprentice, someone to carry on my legacy. My last two apprentices have been... well, rebellious, to put it lightly. Of course, so are you... I can see it in your eyes, Sanza."

"What are you getting at, Slade?"

"I've dealt with Red X before. You probably know that before you stole that suit, it was used by Robin in an attempt to gain my trust... but of course, I knew it was Robin the whole time. The same determination, the same ruthlessness in battle... you've stolen a suit specifically designed to exploit the Teen Titans' weaknesses. Only Robin could've known what they were and how to best take advantage of them... that was the final clue."

__

"So that's why a suit like that was in the tower," thought Sanza, nervously remembering that he'd left the Red X suit in the glove compartment of his mother's car.

"So imagine my surprise when I learned that someone else was in possession of the suit... and I knew that I had to meet that person," said Slade, looking directly into Sanza's eyes. "Consider yourself lucky... you're getting a golden opportunity."

Another flash of lightning, immediately followed by a burst of thunder. The storm was probably directly over the park by now... but an even greater storm was already brewing.

"You want me... to be your apprentice?" asked Sanza, a nervous smirk crossing his lips. Though he feared Slade, he feared working for him even more... he wasn't going to be used by anyone. "Yeah, right."

"I had a feeling you'd say that..." said Slade, his voice remaining calm, not showing the anger that Sanza was sure would result from his refusal. "Then at least tell me something. Why did you take the suit in the first place? Was it for the power that the suit gave you? Was it a desire to steal that compelled you to take it? Or was it something else?"

Sanza's eyes widened. If Slade could spy on him, then he knew Slade could spy on-

"Was it because you knew it was the only way to protect little Maddy?"

Sanza gasped. It had already begun...

"You son of a bitch, what-" Sanza began before Slade gave a slight chuckle.

"I have some of my men posted right outside of your house, Sanza," said Slade, his tone quickly becoming serious. "Your family can't see them, and rest assured, if you do everything I say tonight, they'll never even know my men were there. I have a very simple set of instructions for you, but first..."

Slade walked over to Sanza's mother's car and opened the passenger side door. He reached into the glove compartment and pulled out the Red X costume, then closed the door of the car and tossed the suit to Sanza. Sanza caught it, still enraged that Slade would threaten his family.

"I should put on this suit and kick your ass, Slade," said Sanza, but Slade merely continued giving instructions.

"I'm going to leave, but I have cameras hidden in the nearby trees that will allow me to see and hear everything that happens in this clearing. What I want to happen is this. I'm going to leave, and you're going to take Starfire out of that trunk and put her somewhere she can easily be seen. Then, you're going to use your cell phone to contact Robin's T-Com and tell him to come here, alone, if he ever wants to see Starfire alive again."

Sanza was beginning to realize exactly what Slade was trying to do. A test... a battle test... and his opponent was going to be-

"When Robin gets here, you're going to kill him," said Slade, handing Sanza a slip of paper with instructions on contacting Robin. He then placed a small, metallic device in Sanza's ear, which would enable Slade to give the boy instructions should the need arise. "Do whatever it takes... I'm sure that that suit has everything you need. I'm not concerned with Starfire, you may do whatever you wish to her, but before you leave this clearing tonight, you're going to kill Robin. If you don't, your mother and sister will be dead when you come home tonight."

Sanza clenched his fists. His body was now soaked by the rain that still came pouring down, and the coldness of the water on his body stung him into an even more intense rage. All of his anger and hatred were now focused on Slade... when they probably should've been concentrated on Robin.

Because when Robin came and saw Starfire... he was going to be just as mad as Sanza was.

"If you hurt my _familia_, Slade, I swear, I'll-"

"You kill Robin and they won't be harmed," said Slade, his tone returning to its casual, almost uncaring approach to evil. "I'll be watching..."

And with that, Slade turned and left the parking lot, leaving Sanza alone with his car and the driving rain. Sanza looked down at his Red X suit in his hands, knowing exactly what he had to do.

__

"I really screwed up this time..."

O-O-O

After putting on the suit, Red X prepared to open the trunk for the first time since he'd placed Starfire inside and had slammed the lid down on her. He walked up to the trunk, took out his keys, and slowly turned them in the lock.

As soon as he opened the trunk, two feet slammed into his face at once, knocking him back and nearly causing him to stumble on the wet ground. Starfire, it seems, had positioned her body in the trunk so that if Red X opened it up, she could kick him in the face with as much strength he could muster. Annoyed, slightly angry, Red X walked over to the trunk and lifted Starfire out. He closed the lid and turned around, walking over to a large tree that faced the parking lot. The entire time she was being carried to the tree, Starfire struggled and screamed in Red X's grasp, the rain quickly soaking her bright red hair.

__

"You will let me go right now!" thought Starfire, desperately wishing to be released from her bonds so that she could teach Red X a lesson he'd never forget. Or if she couldn't teach him a lesson, she hoped that the other Titans could... especially Robin. _"Robin will find me, and when he does..."_

Red X pressed Starfire's bound form against the tree, and shot out an X that wrapped around her body, hooking through the metallic bands that tied Starfire's arms to her back and looping around the entire trunk of the tree, pinning the Tamaranian girl helplessly in place. She continued to thrash against the tree, and from what Red X could tell, she looked terrified as the bright lightning flashed high in the sky above her head.

__

"I don't want do to this, kid, believe me..." thought Red X, sighing as he watched Starfire's helpless struggles. In an attempt to comfort her, he reached up and stroked his hand across the side of her face... only to have her emit two muffled shouts and try to move her head away. "I promise I won't hurt you... _though I can't say the same for Robin..."_

"Don't you touch me!" Starfire thought, helpless to move Red X's hand away from her face. Had she been able to see through his mask, she could have seen a touch of sympathy in fear in his eyes... but on the face of Red X, she could see only evil and hatred... and she despised him for it.

Red X turned away from Starfire and walked to the center of the parking lot, pulling his cell phone from his pocket and looking at the sheet of paper Slade had given him.

__

"I'd better get this over with..." thought Red X, nervously pressing several buttons on his phone.

O-O-O

Meanwhile, Robin, who was so determined to find Starfire that he put his life at risk by climbing up tall buildings in a furious thunderstorm, was beginning to feel the effects of fatigue on his body. He'd been searching for Starfire for hours, had visited more warehouses, dark alleys, and abandoned buildings then he'd cared to mention, and now, he was beginning to get frustrated. Frustrated with Red X for kidnapping Starfire, and frustrated with himself for not being able to find her.

But Robin never gave up hope. He continued his search, entering the old Jump City Textiles Factory and repeatedly calling out Starfire's name. The rain outside pounded the tin roof of the building, making such noise that Robin could barely hear his own voice. He'd become hoarse from calling out to Starfire, but he knew his efforts were worth it... when every 'STARFIRE!' could be answered with a desperate 'ROBIN!' in the most beautiful, delicate voice the Boy Wonder had ever heard...

But the factory search was fruitless, and Robin found himself on his knees in the center of the old, broken-down, spider-infested building, looking up through a shattered window and screaming Starfire's name in a loud, anguished cry.

"WHERE IS SHE, YOU BASTARD?" shouted Robin, hoping that wherever Red X was, he could hear Robin's rage. "I'M GONNA FIND HER! I'M GONNA FIND STARFIRE AND I'M GONNA MAKE YOU PAY!"

The T-Com in Robin's pocket began lighting up and playing a short, digitized version of Puffy Ami Yumi's Titans song. Robin pulled it out, expecting to see one of his teammates on the other end.

Instead, he saw the answer to his prayers... and a man very much in danger of a serious asskicking.

"Red X," said Robin, his eyes narrowing in rage at the fuzzy figure on the other end, shown through the lens of X's cameraphone. "What have you done with Starfire?"

The image shifted to Starfire, gagged and bound to a tree. Then, Red X's face reappeared on the T-Com.

"Come to the park if you ever want to see Starfire again," said Red X, trying to sound as menacing and intimidating as he could. "And come alone."

The image on the other end of Robin's T-Com flashed off before Robin could offer up a response. But he knew that Red X had a pretty good idea of what he was going to say. Still, he couldn't even begin to imagine what Robin was going to do...

"I told you I'd make you pay, X," said Robin, running out of the factory and hopping onto his T-Cycle, racing toward the park at a blazing fast speed. "I'll make you wish you never laid a hand on her!"

O-O-O

No amount of wishing could stop the inevitable... what Red X knew he'd be in for. A life-or-death showdown with Robin, whom Red X could tell was furious over the phone. His eyes, his voice... he'd said it all with just a few short words.

He took another look at Starfire, rain now drenching her immobile body. She struggled and strained, but knew that she was about to bear witness to a battle between the dangerous criminal Red X and her best friend Robin... and that she would be helpless to interfere in any way.

__

"Please..." thought Starfire, staring up into the lightning-filled sky, _"whatever happens, please let Robin be okay..."_

And the waiting game began. Five minutes, ten minutes... then, the sound of a motorcycle rolling into the park. The sound stopped a short distance away, and Red X knew that his battle was about to begin. He clenched his fists, trying to will himself into what he was about to do.

__

"I've fought the Titans before... this is going to be a piece of cake..." thought Red X, but he was lying to himself, and he knew it. The Robin he'd seen on his phone, the Robin he'd heard over the speaker... that wasn't any Robin he'd ever fought before. This was a Robin who was ready to fight to protect his friends... ready to fight to the death, and maybe even ready to cause a death.

A series of footsteps in the rain... the street lamp shining down on the parking lot, lighting up Red X, Starfire, and as soon as he took the first step out of the shadow of the walkway... Robin.

Robin and Red X's eyes met, but Robin didn't rush forward... not yet. He walked out into the parking lot and glanced over to the tree. Through the X plastered over her mouth, Starfire cried out Robin's name.

"Why her?" said Robin, turning back to Red X, the anger clearly showing in his voice. "Why her... and why me?"

"Anything to make you squirm, kid," said Red X, getting into a fighting stance. "You screwed up my trip to the museum, so I decided to toy with you a bit. It's just you and me now, Robin."

"I'll fight to save Starfire... you know that," said Robin, extending his bo staff and pointing it at Red X. "If you've hurt her-"

"She's fine," replied Red X. "It's your own skin that you oughta be worried about."

Robin had given the thief one chance to release Starfire. That chance was over. With a loud battlecry, Robin rushed forward, swinging his bo staff straight down at Red X's head. The X on Red X's right palm began to glow, and a long, red blade appeared in his hand. He swung it upward, parrying Robin's attack. Robin swung the staff again, and again, Red X parried.

__

"He's never swung his staff like that before..." Red X thought, noticing the intense fury in Robin's assault. _"If I didn't know better, I'd say he was trying to kill me..."_

Robin swung his staff again, and this time, Red X was unable to parry. The staff caught him right in the chest, knocking him backward and throwing him to the cold, wet ground. Another bolt of lightning lit up the sky, and Robin removed two cluster bombs from his utility belt. He threw them down at Red X, who rolled out of the way just in time, the bombs impacting the concrete and making a small crater.

__

"I'm gonna lose if I don't go on the offensive..." Red X thought, retracting the blade into his hand and causing the X on his palm to glow again. He stood up and fired several small Xs at Robin. Several of them exploded against his chest, stopping him from charging at Red X. One of the Xs expanded behind Robin's back, ensnaring his arms and entwining them together, forcing Robin to drop the staff and fall hard to the ground. "Not so tough now, are ya, kid?"

Seizing the opportunity, Red X ran over to the incapacitated crime fighter and kicked him several times, each kick causing the Boy Wonder to let out a loud cry of pain. Without his arms, his bo staff was useless... but Robin still had his legs, and he shot out with a kick that hit Red X right in the stomach, knocking him back and causing him to double over.

"You never should've messed with my friends..." said Robin, leaping to his feet and trying to reach his utility belt with his bound hands. "Plenty of criminals have tried that, and they all learned their lesson... the hard way."

"I'm sick of your little superhero sentiments, kid!" shouted Red X, stretching out his hands and causing a large energy net to appear in-between them. He tossed the net at Robin, who'd been able to pull out a Bat-a-Rang and was now using it to cut the X from around his wrists. The net was fast, but Robin was faster, doing a backflip to escape the net and freeing his hands at the same time with the Bat-a-Rang. With a twirl, Robin threw the Bat-a-Rang at Red X, clipping him across the chest and making a small cut across the front of his uniform... as well as across his skin.

Starfire's eyes lit up when she saw Robin escape... but that didn't mean that she shouldn't be trying to escape as well. She continued struggling against the tight metallic bands, hoping that she would soon be able to join the fight.

__

"Damn... that really smarts..." thought Red X, stumbling back with his hand pressed over his chest. He knew that the longer the fight pressed on, the angrier and more intense Robin was getting. "Not too bad, kid... not too bad at all."

"Don't hold back..." came a soft, yet firm voice over the hearing device in Red X's ear. "You know what you have to do, so do it!"

Red X pointed his palms at Robin and fired four small, red spikes about six inches long. The spikes flew toward Robin, but all of them missed, imbedding themselves in the ground around the Boy Wonder and forming a square on the ground about ten feet in diameter.

"If you're going to fight me," said Robin, picking his bo staff up from the ground and extending it once more, "you'd better improve your-"

Suddenly, the spikes began to glow, triggering an electric field that completely covered the space encompassed by the square. The red electricity surged through Robin's veins, sending pain shooting through his body and collapsing him to his knees. Red X smiled, walking over to Robin and picking up one of the spikes. The electric field was immediately ceased, but the damage had been done, and Robin remained on the ground in serious pain.

__

"Time to end this," thought Red X, walking up to Robin with the spike in his hand and lifting it over the boy's head. Starfire, seeing what Red X was about to do, began screaming loudly, terrified for Robin.

__

"PLEASE, NO!" thought Starfire, her eyes wide and filling with tears. But Red X ignored Starfire, bringing the spike down toward Robin's head.

Robin's hand suddenly shot out, grabbing Red X by the wrist and holding him in place. He dropped the spike and let out a cry of pain, as Robin was squeezing hard enough to nearly break his wrist. Robin stood up, a look of pure rage on his face.

"I'm going to defeat you and rescue Starfire... and there's nothing you can do to stop me!" Robin shouted, firing his Batcables at Red X. The cables wrapped around the thief's midsection, pinning his arms to his chest. Robin grabbed the end of the Batcable and, displaying seemingly inhuman strength, began spinning Red X around like a top, fighting the force of the wind from the storm as he swung his opponent in a wide circle. Robin then released the cable, sending Red X flying into a tree, his back slamming hard into the wooden trunk. As Red X struggled to stand, Robin began throwing Bat-a-rang after Bat-a-rang at him, trying to pin the thief to the tree itself. Red X quickly rolled out of the way, ducking behind the tree and extending another blade. He could feel the carbon dioxide from his frequent breaths quickly filling his mask, and he had to fight off the urge to remove it, if even for a second.

__

"I've never seen anyone fight at this level before..." thought Red X, leaning against the tree and silently contemplating his next move. He could hear Robin running rapidly toward him, and he quickly spun around, using his blade to slide the tree nearly in two. The blade carved effortlessly through the trunk of the tree, which quickly began falling forward, toward the parking lot... and toward Robin. "Timber."

Robin gasped, quickly turning around and running in the opposite direction. _"He's psychotic... he'd cut down a whole tree just to take me out?"_

Robin too noticed a difference in his costumed rival... like Robin, Red X was fighting with much more determination than normal... as well as a hint of desperation. Robin leapt out of the path of the tree just in time, its massive girth taking up nearly a fifth of the parking lot as it hit the ground. _"Why's he fighting so well? He doesn't have anyone to fight for, does he?"_

Robin took another glance at Starfire, watching the fight with great anxiety, still worried about the slightest attack that connected with her dear friend Robin. She'd screamed while the tree that Red X had chopped down was falling, and breathed a sigh of relief when he'd manage to evade it.

__

"Could he be... fighting for her as well?" Robin thought, aware of the crush that Red X had on Starfire from what she'd told him after the very first battle the new Red X and the Titans had had. _"Is that the real reason he took her?"_

But Robin had no time to think about that, for while he was running from the tree, X was running on top of it, dashing along its trunk for a clean shot at Robin. As soon as Robin turned back toward the tree, X was already upon him, leaping from a fallen branch and striking Robin hard with a punch to the face. Before he could strike again, Robin lunged forward with a punch of his own, nearly as hard as the one X had delivered. Red X swooped in with another punch, but this time, Robin ducked, then swung his leg at X's side.

"Don't think so!" Red X shouted, grabbing Robin's leg and trying to force him off-balance. Robin hopped up once on his other leg, then swung it upward, slamming it into the side of Red X's face and knocking both fighters apart from one another. Robin's kick did indeed send him off-balance, but he quickly recovered back into a standing position. Red X, on the other hand, took a bit longer to recover from the kick. As soon as he turned back around, Robin's outstretched palm slammed into the front of his chest, and he fell backwards, stumbling over the fallen tree behind him, his back slamming hard into the ground.

__

"Now's my chance," thought Robin, leaping over the tree and extending his bo staff, swinging it down at Red X's head.

The hard fall had knocked the wind out of Red X, and he could barely even breathe, let alone see Robin leaping toward him with his staff. A single bolt of lightning illuminated Robin just enough for Red X to be able to throw up a leg to defend himself, catching Robin in the jaw and knocking him backward. The back of Robin's head slammed into the hard tree trunk, immediately knocking the boy into a daze. Red X stood up, pointing his palm at Robin and preparing to fire an X that would pin him against the trunk of the tree, making him helpless.

He didn't get the chance, because Robin quickly recovered, leaping up and striking Red X in the face with a hard mule kick. Red X flew backwards, and Robin capitalized, running forward and striking Red X with a punch to the face. The punch was followed by another, and Red X could begin to taste blood beginning to pool in his mouth.

__

"Not good!" Red X thought. Robin continued rushing forward, preparing to hit Red X with another brutal punch, one that would certainly knock the thief to the ground again. Red X knew that he didn't have nearly the martial arts training that Robin did... if he tried to fight him hand-to-hand, he'd be beaten, and badly. _"I have to do this... Slade will kill Maddy if I don't beat Robin... I have to win!"_

Red X ducked under the punch, grabbing Robin's arm and tossing him to the ground with a surprising amount of strength. Robin hit the concrete hard, his shoulder taking the brunt of the impact. As Robin screamed in pain, Red X immediately spotted the weakness, stomping down hard on Robin's shoulder. Another scream from Robin was followed by a loud, muffled scream from Starfire that could clearly be heard over the thunder that roared through the sky every few seconds.

Robin heard Starfire's scream, and his eyes narrowed. His fists clenched, his heart pounded, and his entire psyche became overwhelmed with determination. He had to save Starfire, no matter what... he would never give up, he would never surrender.

"That's it, kid... scream... nobody's gonna hear you," said Red X, beginning to feel the viciousness that came packaged free with the implications of a must-win battle. He lifted his foot and prepared to stomp Robin's face... but Robin again stopped him, reaching up and grabbing Red X by the ankle. Before X could react, Robin swung him hard to the ground, face-first. The two fighters weakly picked themselves up at the same time, determined to land the first blow.

Robin swung first, a mighty punch that slammed into Red X's jaw and knocked him back several seconds. By now, all Red X could taste was blood, slowly filling his mouth, pouring in from his busted lips. Without the mask, X could've easily spat out the blood... but with it on, that was impossible.

When one tastes his own blood, one can't help but feel a growing sense of fear. Even Red X, master thief, who by now was used to being in dangerous situations, was terrified by the prospect that he was fighting a losing battle. The anger in Robin's eyes gave every indication that Robin was just as likely to kill Red X as X was to kill Robin... and what Robin was fighting for was right there, in the form of Starfire, a screaming, thrashing reminder of why Robin had to win.

X didn't have that reminder... only the thought of his family at home, of Slade's robotic henchmen watching their every move, waiting for the order to kill...

Sometimes, even a reminder was vivid enough. Letting out a loud scream of pain and fury, Red X lunged forward, tackling Robin hard to the ground. Robin's shoulder once more impacted the concrete, but before he could scream, Red X began pummeling his face with furious punches.

Starfire, horrified by the brutality of Red X's attack, screamed as long as she could, struggling against her bonds and the tree enough to make the red metal actually bruise her skin, its sharp edges opening up small wounds along Starfire's arms and legs as she struggled violently to get free and help Robin.

__

"LET HIM GO!" thought Starfire, watching Robin take the beating of his life through the rain and lightning, tears streaming down her face. _"I once thought that you were not so evil... why are you doing this to Robin? WHY?"_

But Robin wasn't so easily beaten, and though his face stung from every punch, his mind retained one singular focus... beating Red X and saving Starfire. It was that focus that gave him the strength to kick X hard in the chest, knocking him back and enabling the Boy Wonder to stand. He wiped a trickle of blood from his lip and clenched his fists, his teeth clenched in anger.

Red X wasn't knocked down by the kick, but he was hurt... slightly bent over, his arms pressed against his chest, he began to cough... he knew he'd taken a bad beating, but he had no idea of what Robin was about to do next.

Robin's fury was unlike anything Red X had ever seen. Robin lunged forward, connecting with punch after punch. Red X tried to counter, but Robin dodged all but two of X's blows.

__

"This is insane..." thought Red X, his determination being sapped with every punch that Robin landed. X was punched in the face, the chest, and the arms, knocked back nearly all the way across the parking lot by the force of Robin's attack. In desperation, Red X threw out an X that morphed into a large pile of goo, trying to cover Robin and suffocate him. Robin simply extended his bo staff, swinging through the goo before jabbing X in the throat, then swinging the staff around to hit him in the chest. Red X stumbled, but didn't quite fall, though he could barely breathe and his chest stung from the last staff hit, which felt like he'd been shot by a cannon.

"Had enough yet?" said Robin, a lightning bolt cracking in the sky behind him. Red X, meanwhile, was now gasping for air, blood still pooling inside of his mouth. He swallowed the blood and pointed at Robin, remembering exactly what Slade had told him.

__

"I can't give up... my family is depending on me!"

"This... isn't over..." said Red X, his palm pointed out at Robin's face. He fired an X at Robin, who pulled a Bat-a-Rang from his utility belt.

"I've heard that a million times," Robin replied. He threw the Bat-a-Rang, which sliced through the X and continued on. It slashed across X's face, immediately eliciting a cry of pain from the thief. His gloved hand flew to his face, and when he pulled it back, it was dripping with blood. The Bat-a-rang had torn through Red X's mask, cutting a long, deep gash downward across his face, just to the right of his eye. He stumbled back, staring at Robin through the rain.

"You... you..." Red X stammered, looking back down at his blood-covered hand. _"Dammit... that really hurts... worse than anything I've ever felt in my life..."_

Tasting his own blood was one thing... but feeling it and seeing it, now dripping from the cut to the wet concrete below... Red X now knew he couldn't beat Robin. He looked just past him and saw Starfire, still tied tightly to the tree at the side of the parking lot. Then, he looked back toward Robin, his hand reaching down once more to his utility belt.

__

"How can I get out of this..." thought Red X, his eyes meeting Starfire's once more. This time was different... Starfire could clearly see the bad wound across Red X's face, and something else as well... for the first time, she thought that she could actually sense fear through the mask.

Red X looked back and forth, from Robin to Starfire and back again. It was then that he formulated a solution... and silently began praying that it would work. He pointed his palm to Robin again, and fired a small, shuriken-like X. The X whizzed past Robin's head, continuing on out into the night.

"You missed," said Robin, pulling out another Bat-a-rang, "but I won't..."

The X flew on... toward Starfire and the tree she was tied to. It sliced through her bonds in two different places... the metallic band holding her arms, and the band holding her body to the tree. Then, it embedded itself in the top of the tree's trunk.

Red X watched as Starfire was freed... and smiled under the mask.

__

"With your freedom, I win mine as well..."

Before Robin could throw his Bat-a-Rang, Starfire ripped the X from her mouth and cried out her first intelligible word in more than six hours.

"ROBIN!"

Robin turned around, giving Red X his chance to escape. As he leapt into his car and sped off into the night, he heard a loud voice shouting into the hearing device placed in his ear.

"What are you doing?" Slade shouted.

"The girl managed to escape somehow... I can't fight two of them at once!"

"That's a lie... go back and fight them both!"

"Fuck you, Slade."

Red X removed the device from his ear and tossed it out onto the ground, somewhere in the park. Then, he sped off down the first street he could find, back toward home... he could only hope that his engineered escape of Starfire would give him enough of an excuse to keep Slade from harming his family.

__

"I bought some time... not a lot, but enough to think... and enough to breathe."

Meanwhile, though Robin had seen X's car speed off, his first concern was making sure Starfire was all right... he ran up to her as she ripped off the metal bands that had been binding her legs.

"Starfire, are you all right?" asked Robin, his eyes immediately focusing on the bruises and small scrapes on Starfire's arms. "Did X-"

But Starfire didn't answer... instead, she wrapped her arms tightly around Robin, relieved to see that except for a few bruises on his face, arms, and legs, he was safe and unharmed.

"I inflicted those wounds upon myself as I was trying to escape to help you... but I am so glad to see that you are all right," said Starfire, brushing a tear from her own face. "X did not hurt me, but I was worried that he might harm-"

"I'm fine, Star..." replied Robin, returning the hug as both he and Starfire were reunited for the first time since fighting X at the museum. The thunder and lightning had stopped, and the rain had slowed to a light drizzle. Robin's worries were over... for now. He and Starfire were both safe... but Red X was still at large, and from the fight, it seemed that he was stronger and more vicious than ever. "I'm happy to see you safe too, Starfire..."

O-O-O

Meanwhile, in a dark room somewhere in the bowels of the city, Slade had watched the entire fight, from start to finish... and though he wasn't happy at all with Red X's blatant disrespect, plus the fact that he hadn't killed Robin... he was pleased. Red X was strong, very strong. With training, he could even surpass Robin...

Slade had called his men off from Sanza's house. He was sure that as long as the threat of harm to them remained, Sanza would still obey most of his instructions. Besides, if he did kill Sanza's family, there would be absolutely no chance of gaining a new apprentice. As long as he increased the threat to them just a little bit each time, Sanza could still be controlled.

__

"It's just a matter of time now," thought Slade, smiling to himself. _"It's just a matter of time, Sanza..."_

O-O-O

Sanza threw off the costume as soon as he got back to his room, shoving it under his bed and tossing his other clothes on the ground, leaving him standing in front of his mirror in nothing but his boxers. His entire body was bruised, and the cut on his face would probably need stitches... _mom's not gonna like this..._

But at least she was safe... and Maddy too... that was the important thing. It seemed that Slade hadn't followed through on his threat... but the threat still remained, and Sanza knew that Slade would soon be calling him again.

But he couldn't concern himself with that now. He was alive, though quite a bit worse for wear. His entire body ached... so he drew himself a hot bubble bath and slipped inside. The water was warm... soothing... and it helped wash away some of the blood from Sanza's face.

Sanza could hear footsteps outside the bathroom, and his mother's voice. Oh, how lovely it was for Sanza to hear his mother's voice!

"Sanza! Sanza Salazar, you came in and you didn't even come say hi to me? Open up this door..."

"Taking a bath, mom!"

"I don't care!"

Sanza's mother threw the door open... and was horrified when she saw what had happened to her son.

"Oh my God... Sanza, you got into another fight again, didn't you?"

"Mom, it's not that bad, really..." Sanza lied.

"Look at your face! Oh, look at your chest, all those bruises... Sanza, it looks like you got a gangbeating or something! Oh my God, this is just like your father... Sanza, what have I told you about getting into fights?"

As tears began coursing down Sanza's mother's face, and she launched into a tirade of incomprehensible Spanish, Sanza sighed and sunk his body down deeper into the bubble bath.

His mom loved him deeply, she was just trying to protect him... but she could never know that Sanza got those cuts and bruises trying to protect her.

Because Sanza knew that pretty soon, he'd have to put himself in harm's way again. Slade was still out there... still watching... still wanting a new apprentice.

And that apprentice was Red X.

O-O-O

And so, the first major arc of the story ends... but the real story is just beginning. Now that you know what Slade wants of Sanza, you also know that Sanza and the Titans will be coming into conflict again. But what kind of conflict will it be, and when will Slade strike next? And what happened to Vick and Mick, anyway? Find out in the next chapter...


	6. Uninvited Invitation

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Teen Titans. If I did, this would be on TV and not here.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This doesn't take place in the same storyline as my "Forced Base" and "Fractured Heart" stories, so forget those when you're reading this. Also, this takes place after the fourth season, so anything that happens in the show after that isn't applicable to this. Also, about Sanza/Red X: When he's wearing the mask, he's Red X. When he's not, he's Sanza. Simple as that.

O-O-O

Sanza spent nearly an hour in the bathtub after his mother left. Every time he tried to rise from the water, his bruises and cuts flared up with pain, and he was forced to return to the gentle caress of the hundred and twenty-degree water enveloping his skin. The blood washed from his body had diffused into the water, giving it a red tint that constantly reminded Sanza of the long battle scar still splayed across the side of his face.

When he finally peeled himself out of the water, he wrapped a towel around his waist and immediately walked over to the medicine cabinet. He took a large strip of gauze and plastered it over his now clotted wound before peeling off a piece of medical tape and sticking the gauze to his face. He took one last look at his face in the mirror, his eyes staring deep into the eyes of his own reflection, recalling once more the great battle that had taken place that evening.

Sanza had been proven wrong about Robin not caring for Starfire... the Boy Wonder had fought furiously, and Sanza, even as Red X, never stood a chance.

__

"Mom wasn't kidding when she told me about why I shouldn't get into fights," thought Sanza. But of course, the people Sanza had fought previously were nothing compared to Robin... stronger, it seemed, than any of the other Titans, even though he was the only one without superpowers. "Kid, you messed me up big time..."

As Sanza turned to leave, the door to the bathroom slowly creaked open. At first, Sanza thought it was his mother, there to give him another lecture.

As it turned out, it was even worse. Instead of Sanza's mother at the door, it was his sister Maddy, wearing a white nightgown and tiredly rubbing her eyes.

"Maddy," sighed Sanza, distraught that his sister would see him in his current condition, "it's two in the morning... what are you doing awake?"

When Maddy's hands drifted from her eyes, and she saw her brother for the first time since he'd left to go to the dance... his face, chest, and arms covered in bruises... she let out a loud, horrified gasp.

"Sanza... what happened to you?" she said, her voice a low, shocked whisper. "Mom said you got into a fight, but... but this is..."

Sanza didn't know what to say. His sister, young and innocent, had never seen Sanza after a fight before, and even if she had, she wouldn't have seen him in this kind of condition. She was afraid, Sanza could sense that immediately... and he could also see the tears starting to fill her eyes.

He lifted his hand and brushed a tear from Maddy's cheek. She grabbed his hand with both of hers as he tried to move it away, clinging desperately with her fingers, unwilling to let her brother go for fear he'd run off and get hurt again.

"Promise me... promise me you'll never fight again, Sanza..."

She released his hand and wrapped her arms around Sanza's waist, her head leaning against his bare, bruised chest. Sanza couldn't bear to speak, because he knew that whatever came out of his mouth would have to be a lie. Instead, he placed both of his hands on the back of Maddy's head, gently stroking them through her long, black hair.

He couldn't promise her anything... Slade was coming back, Sanza knew... and to protect Maddy, he'd have to fight... he'd have to break his promise.

A single tear fell from Sanza's chin onto the top of Maddy's head.

O-O-O

"I've compiled all the data from Red X's previous robberies... so far, there's no visual pattern, especially now that he no longer needs to steal Xynothium," said Raven, her fingers working tirelessly at the controls of the Titans Tower main computer. After Robin and Starfire had returned, the Titans worked all night trying to find a way to stop Red X before he struck again... but as morning slowly neared, it was quickly becoming clear that tracking the thief would be an impossible task.

"Keep searching," said Robin, with a determination in his voice unlike any he'd shown before, except perhaps when he'd been dealing with Slade. By abducting Starfire, Red X had elevated himself to first place on Robin's most wanted list, and the leader of the Titans wasn't going to stop until he'd brought X down.

Starfire, meanwhile, was sitting meekly on the couch in front of the computer, her hands in her lap. She rubbed her wrists, still sore from trying to escape the metallic bands that Red X had placed around them. She wasn't thinking about trying to catch Red X... instead, her mind was on the fact that Robin had done so much to save her. He'd risked his life fighting Red X, and if Starfire hadn't been able to escape when she did...

It was the escape that had puzzled Starfire most. She replayed the moment over and over in her mind... how Red X had fired an X at Robin that had seemingly missed and flown back to free her. But X was standing right in front of Robin when he'd fired... surely he couldn't miss from that distance, not when his aim had been so accurate before.

And the look in Red X's eyes when he'd fired that final attack... throughout the battle, he'd been confident and vicious, attacking Robin with unbelievable and unprecedented ferocity. But toward the end of the fight, he'd seemed tepid... afraid even.

"Robin, we've been trying to find a pattern here for the past three hours, man," said Cyborg, sitting across from Beast Boy at a table some distance away from the Titans computer. "You've had a long night... we all have. Maybe you oughta give it a-"

"NO!" shouted Robin, turning his attention from Raven to Cyborg. His fists clenched, and immediately Cyborg could recognize the anger and determination in Robin's eyes as the same expression he'd had when he'd gone after Slade, or when he'd been trying to save Starfire the previous evening. "X is dangerous, and we've got to stop him before somebody gets hurt!"

__

"Before I _get hurt, you mean..." _thought Starfire, her eyes looking up at Robin, a worried frown across her lips. Though she'd been terrified when Red X had kidnapped her, and even angry at him when he'd hurt Robin, she still couldn't feel the same malice and anger toward him that Robin did. Whether it was her kind and gentle nature, or something else... Starfire didn't know.

What she did know was that the scared look in Red X's eyes when he'd fired the errant X that freed her from the tree was a look that Starfire _had _seen before... only briefly, and only once, and she, like Robin now, had been blinded by anger and unable to see it.

When X had first tied Starfire to the tree, and he reached his hand up to touch her face... that was the moment Starfire had seen fear in him before. He was afraid of something... something that he knew might bring harm to him. It wasn't just Robin... something else, in the back of Red X's mind, had triggered that scared look.

"Hey, Robin!" shouted Beast Boy, angry that Robin had snapped at his friend. "We know X is a dangerous criminal, but we've got other things to worry about besides him! Like sleep, for instance..."

Beast Boy let out a yawn, and Robin turned back to Raven, a slightly calmer tone in his voice.

"Run one more search," said Robin, "cross-reference a few more variables and check out a wider view of the city. If we don't find a pattern, we'll call it a night."

"I'd call this morning, actually," replied Raven, noticing the first rays of light from the sunrise begin to stream into Titans Tower. "and I'm pretty sure we're not going to find anything."

With a disappointed sigh, Robin walked over to the couch and sat next to Starfire. He took a brief look in her direction before glancing back to the front, his chin cupped in his hands.

"Sorry I got so... obsessed," said Robin, looking over at Beast Boy and Cyborg, then at Raven. Deep within his mind, he knew that Red X most likely wasn't an immediate physical threat to anyone... but he'd taken Starfire, and that made him a vicious criminal on Robin's list. He turned back to Starfire. "It's just that... when someone messes with my friends-"

"We know, Robin," said Cyborg, smiling. "I was steamed at X for taking Starfire, too... anybody who messes with one of us messes with all of us."

"Robin, you are... not at fault for being angry," said Starfire, trying to comfort Robin as best she could. "I knew that you were just trying to keep me from being kidnapped again. But I do not believe that Red X is as dangerous as you say he is."

"What do you mean, Star?" asked Robin, perplexed at Starfire's comment. He thought that she was just as eager to catch him as he was, perhaps even moreso. "You're the one he kidnapped, remember?"

"I told you, he did not harm me," said Starfire, "and in fact, I believe that he did not wish to fight you, either."

That Red X, a thief who spent most of his time trying to escape the Titans, would deliberately bait Robin into a one-on-one confrontation by using Starfire as bait, made little sense to the Tamaranian girl. Before, when she was forced to helplessly watch X and Robin fight, afraid for both Robin and herself, it made perfect sense. But now that she'd had time to think rationally, and that she'd recalled how afraid X was...

"Of course X wanted to fight Robin," said Beast Boy. "When you tie somebody's teammate to a tree and call them out, what else _do _you want?"

"Beast Boy's right, Star," said Robin, annoyed that Starfire didn't believe Red X was a threat. "I mean, didn't he say anything to you?"

"The only thing he said to me before the fight was that he would not hurt me... of course, at the time I did not believe him, but... what about the last X that he fired?" asked Starfire, hoping Robin would remember that it had so easily missed him.

"Yeah, I dodged it," Robin replied, curiously trying to follow Starfire's line of questioning. Meanwhile, Raven, who'd run the final search and had come up with another negative result, was now listening intently to Robin and Starfire's conversation, hoping to discern some sort of clue from their account of the fight.

"He was standing right in front of you... there is no way he could have missed by accident, Robin. How do you suppose I managed to escape from the tree?"

Robin, who figured Starfire had broken out of her bonds on her own, was perplexed again.

"Didn't you... snap the bands yourself?"

Starfire shook her head.

"The X flew back and freed me from the tree, Robin... it was a perfectly aimed shot," Starfire said. "And as soon as I was free, X left."

Raven was intrigued... but Robin was skeptical.

"It was a lucky shot... unlucky for him, lucky for us," said Robin. "Star-"

"Robin, I sincerely do not believe X wanted to fight you."

"I agree with Starfire," said Raven, now convinced that something else was at work behind Red X's motives. "Red X is a thief. He doesn't like to stick around to fight... something else was making him do it."

"He was mad about us stopping him from robbing the museum, so he kidnapped Starfire and challenged me out of anger!" shouted Robin, once again riled up about Red X's actions. "He's a vicious criminal, and-"

"He saved our lives... he's not all vicious," said Cyborg. "And he deliberately threw those exploding Xs at the museum so that the castle would collapse around us, not on top of us."

"...really?" asked Beast Boy, having been terrified when the castle started to collapse back in the museum. "Dude, I spent all that time running and now you tell me I didn't have to?"

"The security tapes the museum e-mailed us confirm that," said Raven. "Red X is a thief, but-"

"I don't care what any of you say," said Robin, getting up from the couch and angrily storming out of the room. "X is a criminal... and I'm going to stop him, no matter what."

Starfire stood up almost as soon as Robin did, turning toward her friend with a look of grave concern on her face.

__

"Robin..." thought Starfire, her hands clasped nervously in front of her chest. _"Please do not become like this again... not like you were when we fought Slade... you might hurt someone... or even worse, you might harm yourself..."_

"But if someone was telling X what to do..." Cyborg began, but Raven was several steps ahead of him, already running a new search on the Titans computer.

"Then we're going to find out exactly who it was," said Raven. "Because if we don't, Red X _could _become a lot more dangerous... and a lot sooner than we could expect."

O-O-O

Sanza dreaded going to school the next day. Not because of the usual reasons... his homework was done, and his relationship with Cleo was better than it had ever been.

But if his bruises and cuts ached last night in the bathtub... they were agonizingly painful as Sanza got out of bed, and they only got worse on the bus ride to school. Sanza entered the building groaning with every step... and he'd completely forgotten about another reason why he didn't want to go to school today. Actually, it was more like two reasons.

Vick and Mick didn't care that Sanza's face was covered with bruises, or that he had a large bandage covering ten inches of the left side of his face. They had been left tied up to a tree in the darkness for nearly five hours before a friendly old couple out on their morning jog saw them and freed them. Now, their blame was placed squarely on Sanza... and they hadn't forgotten about the discovery they'd made in his trunk.

"What the hell's wrong with you?" Vick shouted, blindsiding Sanza and pushing him hard into a locker on the side of the hall. "We nearly got killed because you had a damn Teen Titan in your trunk!"

"And you assholes stole my mom's car," said Sanza, pushing Vick away and continuing down the hall. "Fair trade."

The response drew a loud cry of rage from Mick, who rushed forward and grabbed Sanza's shoulder, spinning him around and staring straight into his bruised face.

"You better tell me what's going on, or I'm going straight to the police and-"

"You wanna know what's going on?" shouted Sanza, pushing Mick away hard enough to nearly knock him down. "What's _really _going on? When I was on my way to the dance last night, Slade jumped out in front of my car, holding that alien chick tied up in his arms. He told me that if I didn't keep her in my trunk until he figured out what to do with her, he'd kill me and my family. After you guys stole my car, Slade got so pissed off that he beat my ass. Why the hell do you think I came in looking like I do, huh?"

"Well... you should have told us that before we-" Vick began before Sanza turned away and started walking down the hall again.

"By the way, this friendship thing I had with you guys? It's over," said Sanza, walking toward his first-period class without even stopping to look back at Vick and Mick. _"I wish Slade would've kicked your asses."_

Fooled by the skillful lie, Vick and Mick stood speechless in the hall for several seconds before turning back around and heading down the hall in the opposite direction.

"Screw you too," muttered Vick under his breath. _"Slade should've finished your sorry ass off."_

O-O-O

Sanza couldn't concentrate on his Algebra... his face hurt, his chest hurt, and his arms were so sore he could barely lift a pencil. Mrs. Derringer's lecture on the Quadratic Equation wasn't interesting enough for Sanza to even pretend to pay attention to, and instead he found himself with his head down on his desk. Suddenly, he felt a soft tap on his shoulder, and lifted his head. It was Cleo, seated at the desk next to Sanza with a worried look on her face and a note in her hand.

Sanza unfolded the note, already knowing what it was going to say.

__

Sanza...

What the heck happened to you? Are you all right?

Cleo

Sanza wrote something on the back of the slip of paper and handed it to Cleo without even looking at her. His mind began to wander again, and he started to think about the next time Slade would strike. What would he tell Sanza to do this time? Would he threaten Sanza's family again? What if Slade went after Sanza's friends?

__

"Slade knew that putting Starfire in danger would affect Robin... if he realized that me and Cleo were... maybe I shouldn't be getting too close to her."

Cleo handed the note back to Sanza. Scribbled on the back under Sanza's 'I got into a fight in the parking lot after the dance' was Cleo's reply, 'how many people? You look like you were in a car wreck or something...'

Sanza sighed, picking up his pencil and beginning to write something else. A loud, female voice behind him quickly derailed his train of thought.

"Mr. Salazar, why in the world aren't you paying attention?"

"Let me guess," Sanza replied sarcastically, rising from his chair and holding up the piece of paper in his hand. "You want me to read the note, don't you? Well, let me save you the trouble. The note says 'Sanza, want to go back behind the school after class and do it?', and unfortunately for me, you caught me before I could write 'Sure, I'll bring the condoms'. Well, now that I'm completely embarrassed, I guess I'll be taking my seat and wallowing in the laughter of my classmates, happy now?"

Sanza ripped the note into pieces, throwing the scraps up into the air like confetti and sitting down at his seat. Cleo, horrified at what Sanza had said, simply stared at him, her mouth wide open in shock and anger. The entire class began to laugh before Mrs. Derringer silenced them with a loud shout.

"ENOUGH!" Mrs. Derringer yelled, angrily walking back to her seat and filling out an office referral for Sanza. "Sanza, you can just take your disrespect straight to the dean's office, because that's exactly where you're going!"

Without a word, Sanza stood up from his seat and walked emotionless up to Mrs. Derringer's desk to collect the referral. Then, he left the room, allowing the door to close loudly behind him. Meanwhile, Cleo, still stunned at her desk in the back of the room, began cringing as the whispers of 'slut' and 'I knew those two were bangin' it' began filtering softly through the room and to her ears.

__

"Sanza, what the hell is wrong with you?" Cleo thought.

O-O-O

Sanza couldn't feel sad about being sent to the dean's office. Even the cruelest school official in the world was nothing compared to a monster like Slade... and if Sanza was in detention, Slade most likely couldn't get to him.

What was Sanza thinking... of course Slade could get to him. He'd gotten to him last night, and Sanza knew Slade could be lurking anywhere... if anything, being in detention would make it easier for Slade to find him, since he'd know where Sanza was.

At least with the show he'd made in the room, he'd probably ruined any chance he and Cleo had of getting together. That made one less person for Slade to be able to threaten Sanza with... one less pawn on Slade's chessboard.

Sanza walked into the dean's office and sat down in a small, burgundy leather chair in front of the secretary's desk. He handed his referral to the secretary, who simply shook her head, tsk-tsked, and told Sanza that the dean would be in to see him shortly.

Sanza didn't have long to wait. The dean, an average-sized, slightly muscular man, with graying hair and a red and white striped tie worn with a blue dress shirt and black slacks, walked into the room and sat down at a larger desk next to the secretary's. Sanza stood up from his chair and walked across to the chair placed at the dean's desk, sitting down and retaining a scowl. The secretary handed the referral to the dean, who took a brief look at it before setting it down on the desk and looking down at Sanza.

"Backtalking a teacher... not the first time I've seen you in here for that," said the dean, furrowing his brow and frowning. "Sanza, you've got to learn some respect for your teachers. They come in every day, get paid way less than they should to teach you, and they definitely don't need to be treated with hostility by the people they're trying to help!"

Sanza continued scowling, but didn't say a word. He'd heard this talk before... nothing he could say was going to reduce his punishment, already predetermined by the school discipline code.

"I mean, am I getting through to you?" asked the dean, his voice raising slightly. "Answer me!"

Sanza continued staring silently at the dean for several seconds before finally offering a response.

"Algebra is boring," said Sanza, only talking so that the dean wouldn't think he was crazy. The dean sighed, leaning back in his chair and shaking his head. He, like Sanza's mother and friends, noticed the bruises and cuts on Sanza's face and arms.

"I see you like to get into fights," said the dean, crouching forward and pointing at the bandage across Sanza's face. "Last time I talked to your mom, she said that was a big problem for you."

"It's not _your _problem," replied Sanza. _"What the hell does that have to do with disrespecting a teacher?"_

"I don't think I've told you this the last few times you were in here, but I was friends with your dad back in high school," said the dean. "Back when he and his friends were running with one of the big gangs in Jump City. Some of his friends who weren't in the gang, like me, tried to get him to stop, but..."

Sanza didn't want to hear about his father, especially from a man who looked like he had no idea what kind of person Sanza's father really was. He had no business talking about Sanza's injuries, and he certainly had no business talking about his father.

"You were never my dad's friend!" shouted Sanza, rising from his chair. "If you were his friend, you'd know why he fought! You'd know the courageous, strong person my father was, just trying to protect what was right and good!"

"He was a hoodlum, just like it looks like you're becoming!" shouted the dean. "If you keep getting into fights, you're going to end up in jail, or you're going to end up dead!"

__

"He's just like my mom..." thought Sanza, turning around and starting to walk out of the dean's office.

"Don't you dare walk out of here, Sanza!" said the dean, pointing at him as he left. As Sanza reached the door, he stopped, turned, took a look at the dean... then continued out the door and into the hall.

__

"You don't have any right to be concerned about me..." Sanza thought, ignoring the shouts of the irate dean coming from the office. _"The only people that have that right are my family... the ones I'm trying to protect. Them, and no one else."_

O-O-O

Sanza spent the rest of the school day in detention, which was probably good, considering how angry Cleo still was. She told Rob and Marcy about what he'd said in class, and her anger was unquenched when Rob tried to tell her that Sanza always got sarcastic when he was mad.

Rob, who didn't bother trying to talk to Sanza on the bus, was also concerned about Sanza's injuries... he knew his friend liked to pick fights, but agreed with Cleo in her thinking that Sanza may have bitten off more than he could chew.

Cleo was the first to spot Sanza as he exited school and walked out toward the bus. He was still scowling, having spent the entire day thinking about what the dean had said. He saw Cleo, but ignored her, hoping he could make it to the bus before she got to him.

He didn't have a chance.

"Sanza!"

Her hand stopped him from entering the bus, and as soon as he turned around, her other hand smacked him hard across the face, the side uncovered by a bandage. As he winced in pain, he couldn't help but think that he probably deserved the slap. Still, it hurt... pretty badly, in fact.

"Whatever issues you have, it doesn't mean that you have to dump them all on me!" Cleo shouted. "All day, people kept calling me a slut, or a whore... even my friends made fun of me!"

"Then they're not your friends," Sanza replied, turning around to get on the bus.

"No, Sanza... maybe _you're _not my friend," said Cleo, turning and walking toward her own bus. "Goodbye, Sanza."

__

"You're not my friend..."

Immediately, Sanza knew he'd gone too far. He started to say something to Cleo, but before he could, she had already boarded her bus. Bowing his head, he walked into his own bus and sat down in the front left seat, just behind the driver. Rob was several rows behind him, but Sanza didn't even bother to look back.

__

"Cleo, I'm sorry, it's just... it's just that you happened to be there when I went off," thought Sanza, resting his head against the bus seat, which was hot from the sunlight of the day. _"Maybe after you've calmed down, I can explain..."_

"Sanza, you don't mind if I sit next to you, do you?"

Sanza looked up... it was Rob. Sanza nodded, and his friend sat down next to him just as the bus began to move.

"Cleo told me what happened in Algebra class..."

"The note... it was Cleo asking me if I was all right," said Sanza, looking back down at his feet on the floor of the bus. "She was worried about me, and I trashed her reputation in front of the whole class."

First Sanza's mother, then Maddy... and now, indirectly, Cleo. This little thing with Slade was starting to become really personal, really fast. And Sanza knew that it would just keep getting worse and worse as long as it went on...

"Look... I know I like to joke around a lot and stuff, but still... if you need to talk about anything-"

"I'm fine," replied Sanza, still bowing his head. "I'll handle it myself."

Rob kept silent the rest of the trip. Something was wrong with Sanza... and it wasn't just the scars and bruises on his body. Something else was bothering him... but whatever it was, Rob didn't want any part of it. He was a good friend, but a bad psychologist. He watched Sanza get off the bus at his stop without saying a word to him.

__

"Whatever it is, you'd better handle it pretty soon, man... or it's gonna handle you."

O-O-O

Sanza walked into his house and saw his mother seated at the kitchen table, staring angrily at him, her arms folded in front of her. Her body language let Sanza know that he should probably stop, so he dropped his backpack at the door and sat down across from her.

"The dean called," said Sanza's mother, "and said you spent most of the day in detention."

"I've got detention all day tomorrow, too," said Sanza, "since it's a fifth incidence of talking back to a teacher now."

"Do you even _care_?" shouted Sanza's mother, rising from the table. "Last night, you get into a fight... you come home with your body covered in bruises... and today you do something like this. Sanza, I... I... I... I don't even know what I'm going to do with you anymore! Please, don't you dare tell me that your father was just like you... as soon as he married me, he tried to get out of the life, don't you know that?"

"I thought he stayed with his gang until he died," said Sanza, glaring at his mother.

"He left the gang after you were born! The only fights he got into were when members of other gangs attacked him and he had to defend himself!"

"Look, just because I get into a few fights doesn't mean I'm gonna join up with a gang!" shouted Sanza, pounding the table with his fists. "You don't even know why I got into a fight, do you?"

"The dean said that he heard you shouting in the parking lot after the dance," said Sanza's mother. "Was it about a girl, Sanza? Was that why you were fighting?"

"The dean didn't even see me fight," Sanza mumbled. "I was fighting because two kids stole your car, and I went after them! When I found your car, a bunch of them jumped me, and-"

"Don't even tell me a lie like that, Sanza," replied Sanza's mother, not knowing that Sanza was telling her at least half of the truth... the car _was _stolen. "You didn't get jumped, Sanza, you picked a fight!"

"How can you even say that for sure?" Sanza shouted. "I come home hurt and you yell at me? You're my mom, you should be comforting me, not picking me apart like this!"

Sanza's mother opened her mouth to reply, but instead, she began to get choked up, a tear slowly forming in her left eye. He had a point... she should've tried to comfort him more instead of putting blame on him... what if he was jumped? What if he really was only trying to defend himself?

But every fight Sanza had been in, he'd started... she wanted to believe him, but she couldn't... and if he was picking fights, she needed to yell some sense into him, especially after the horrible fight he'd evidently started the previous night. Whoever Sanza had fought was dangerous... a dangerous person who'd hurt him badly.

"Sanza... you're my baby..." said Sanza's mother, her voice much quieter, her face now more sad than angry. "I... I just don't want you to end up dead... I was so scared last night, seeing you hurt like you were..."

Guilt flooded back to Sanza now, just like it had in the bathroom last night with Maddy. She'd cried upon seeing Sanza hurt, and now, apparently, his own mother was about to cry as well.

Sanza immediately wanted to blame Slade... it was Slade who'd forced him to fight Robin to the point where he was nearly killed... but knew that the blame lay only with himself. He had taken the Red X suit, and he'd been careless in allowing Slade to get to him. He'd taken the suit to protect his family... but now, they were being hurt, and it was all Sanza's fault.

"Your little sister cried herself to sleep, Sanza!" Sanza's mother shouted through her tears. "She'd just woken up from a nightmare about you being killed in a fight, and so when she got up and saw you hurt like you were, it scared her half to death!"

Sanza stepped back from the table... he couldn't take it anymore. The yelling from his mother, the thought of his sister in tears... he turned back toward the door and ran from the house, his feet dashing down the sidewalk as quickly as they could. He heard his mother yelling, but as he got a good distance from the house, her screams finally faded. He closed his eyes and shook his head, not even knowing where he'd go, just that he had to run... he desperately had to clear his head.

__

"Maybe if I run fast enough, I can go back in time and stop myself from taking that stupid suit... stop all of this from happening... because it's all happening way too fast..."

O-O-O

As it turns out, Sanza didn't run very far. He played a few games at the local arcade, bought a shake and a hamburger at the nearby fast food restaurant, then came back home once the sun began to set. He walked into his house and saw a note on the kitchen table.

"Mom? Sis?" called Sanza, picking up the note as he called out their names.

__

Sanza,

Went with Maddy to Chuck E. Cheese for supper. Will be back soon, will talk when we get back. Please understand that all I want is for you to be safe... you're my baby boy, Sanza, and I love you very much. That doesn't mean that you're not grounded for a week, but I do love you.

Love,

Mom

Sanza smiled and set the note down on the table, in a slightly better mood than he'd been in before leaving. He didn't care that he was grounded... he usually just snuck out anyway. He ran up to his room, hoping that getting to go to Chuck E. Cheese's would help Maddy forget about what had happened to Sanza the previous night.

__

"She'll really enjoy that," thought Sanza as he walked into his room.

"Hello there..."

The voice was unmistakably Slade. A chill went through Sanza's body, and he began to shout, but immediately Slade's cold hand slapped over his mouth and pulled him roughly back.

"That was an excellent show you put on against Robin last night... can't say I enjoyed the ending, though."

Sanza continued to scream, his voice muffled by Slade's hand. _"Mom... sis... Slade, what have you done with them?"_

The note couldn't have been a forgery, and Sanza's mother's car was gone... but Sanza knew his family could still be in danger.

The hand slipped away from Sanza's mouth, and Slade pushed Sanza hard onto his bed. Sanza quickly struggled to a sitting position and crawled backward with his hands to the head of the bed, looking up at Slade as he closed the door.

"Where are they? Where's my family?" shouted Sanza. "If you've hurt them-"

"They're enjoying themselves at Chuck E. Cheese's, where a kid can be a kid... at least that's how I think the jingle goes."

Slade looked down at his wrist, where a small, mechanical screen was displaying to him Maddy and Sanza's mother's every move, completely without their knowledge.

"Maddy's quite the little skeeball player... you must be so proud."

"BASTARD!" shouted Sanza, lunging at Slade from his position on the bed. He had barely stood up before Slade gave him another hard shove that knocked him back down on the bed.

"I told you... if you do as I say, they won't be harmed..."

__

"They already have been," thought Sanza, recalling the anguish he'd caused his mother and sister by nearly being killed in his fight with Robin. "...what is it this time, Slade?"

"No threats? No obscenities?" mused Slade, sarcastically dancing around the point of his conversation. "You're lucky I left your family alive after what you said last night... I told you to kill Robin, but-"

"But the girl escaped," said Sanza. "My suit's strong, but I'm surprised the bands I wrapped around Starfire lasted as long as they did. She got out of them... chalk it up to bad luck."

"Bad luck or not, I can have your family terminated any time I want... so from now on, you had better do EXACTLY as I say!"

The threat angered Sanza, but he knew that if he insulted Slade again, his family could suffer Slade's wrath... he restrained himself and stayed on the bed.

"What do you want?" asked Sanza.

"I'd like to invite you to my new headquarters," replied Slade. "The old Tekita Refinery on the edge of Jump City... if you care about your family like you say you do, you'll be there. Or, more specifically, Red X will be there."

Suddenly, Slade leapt from Sanza's room to his window, and out onto the fire escape. With another leap, Slade was back out on the street, and quickly dashing away.

Sanza grabbed his Red X suit from under the bed. The tear in Sanza's mask was still there, and the face, neck, and chest of the suit were still stained with blood. Sanza briefly brushed his hand over the blood-stained costume and began to wince.

__

"At least it's not a fight," thought Sanza. But he still knew that his mission would be no less dangerous... he'd be heading straight into the belly of the beast... straight into Slade's headquarters. There, he'd probably be receiving further instructions... another clash with the Titans wasn't completely out of the question.

He hesitated for a few seconds before removing his clothes and putting on the Red X suit. Before putting on the mask, he ran a strip of red gel over the front of the mask where the tear was. The gel quickly hardened into a seal that closed the tear almost seamlessly. Then, he put the mask over his face and ran down the fire escape.

__

"Tekita Refinery, on the west side of Jump City..." thought Red X. _"Abandoned for years... until now."_

O-O-O

The Tekita refinery was an enormous complex consisting of a massive, circular building surrounded by a chain-link fence that enclosed both the building and a large, nearly empty parking lot. The building, seen from above, would look like an enormous disc, with a tall, wide tower at the center of the disk, going up nearly four hundred feet. Surrounding the tower, which served as the center of operations for the building, were hundreds of small smokestacks placed evenly on the refinery's enormous roof.

__

"Slade must've bought out the whole building..." thought Red X, walking toward the entrance of the refinery through the building's enormous parking lot. _"Wonder if anyone's actually wondering what he's using it for..."_

As Red X approached the front of the building, he wondered if he may have once stolen something from inside. It looked like the typical building he'd steal from... but Tekita was a steel refinery, not a Xynothium refinery. What could he possibly steel from there, a bunch of girders?

The front door was made of glass, with a large metal handle. Red X tried the handle, but the door was locked. About fifteen feet away, he could hear a metallic gate slowly begin to open.

"Welcome," came a loud, unfamiliar voice as Red X walked over to the open gate. A long, empty garage stretched out in front of him.

__

"You sound as if I actually want to be here," said Red X as he slowly stepped across the threshold and into the building. As soon as he was inside, the gate slammed shut behind him.

O-O-O

So, Red X is in Slade's headquarters. But why has Slade called him, and what's his next mission? And will the Titans find out who's really pulling Red X's strings?


	7. Plucked

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Teen Titans. If I did, this would be on TV and not here.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This doesn't take place in the same storyline as my "Forced Base" and "Fractured Heart" stories, so forget those when you're reading this. Also, this takes place after the fourth season, so anything that happens in the show after that isn't applicable to this. Also, about Sanza/Red X: When he's wearing the mask, he's Red X. When he's not, he's Sanza. Simple as that.

O-O-O

Red X paid little attention to the sound of the large metallic gate closing behind him. He wasn't going to leave anyway... at least not until he'd received his latest mission.

As he walked through the garage, he began to hear sounds of metal clashing against metal... of saws cutting and of blowtorches welding. It was the sound of construction, and to his left and his right, he could see hundreds of mechanical men clad in black and gold, working on weapons, mechanical monstrosities... anything you could think of, they were building.

__

"He's got an army here," thought Red X, staring at the humanoid Sladebots as they rapidly worked. _"So why does he need me?"_

X continued walking down the long path until he reached a tall, glass tube embedded into the wall. It had a single door at the front, large enough for a person to step into. The tube appeared to be an elevator, and since there were no other paths for Red X to follow, he decided to step inside.

As soon as X was in the elevator, it whisked him upward, above the long garage and seemingly up several more floors, as X could see more activity through the glass elevator as it carried him higher and higher.

"Certainly is a nice place you've got, Slade," X muttered to himself, impatiently waiting for the elevator to reach its destination. Finally, he could see that it was slowing rapidly to a halt, and when he heard a loud bell, the door slowly slid open.

Red X stepped out of the elevator and into a large, circular room, lit by a bright chandelier that dipped downward from the ceiling, its lowest point about twenty feet above the floor. From the elevator X stepped out of, he could see seven more glass tubes, which he determined to be other elevators. Between two of the tubes, directly across from him, were two large, black double doors, with golden handles that resembled lion's heads.

X hesitated for a moment. He wondered whether he should proceed through the double doors or wait in the large, circular room. He was already confused... and he knew who was running the show. It was Slade... already trying to make Red X dependent on him for information and instructions. Red X didn't know the refinery, and without Slade telling him where to go, he'd be lost.

A very nice trick... exactly what Red X would expect from a manipulative, conniving villain like Slade.

Red X's fists clenched. He thought about pummeling Slade as soon as he walked through the doors... everything Slade had done already, from nearly getting X killed at the hands of Robin, to threatening his family... the anger was bubbling to the surface again, and it would be hard to stop.

Red X walked toward the large double doors. He wasn't about to be dependent on a monster like Slade. If he got lost, he got lost, but he wasn't going to let Slade lead him around like a child.

The doors opened before X made it halfway across the room. But it wasn't Slade that came through them... Red X stopped and went into a fighting stance, prepared to confront the new villain, whoever he was.

The man who entered the room was a tall, young-looking man dressed in a long, flowing blue and gold robe. His hair was white, with four long braids, two coming from the right side of his head and two coming down from the left. The man's face reflected both arrogance and maliciousness, and Red X knew immediately that he was dealing with someone sent directly from Slade.

"Who are you?" asked Red X, looking for a name more than anything.

"My name is Sorel... I work directly under Slade, but you've probably guessed that by now," said the man, in a voice much lighter than Slade's dark, deep tone. "Slade has asked me to give you your instructions until he can trust you enough to speak to you directly."

"You work under Slade, but you're not his apprentice," said Red X, wondering why Slade would need someone like Sorel if he planned to take a new apprentice.

Sorel smiled.

"When I started working for Slade, I already had all the power I needed... he doesn't train me, I just do some of his dirty work," replied Sorel. "When you complete the tasks he's told me to give you, you'll become his apprentice... he'll begin training you in person."

"And just what are those tasks?" asked Red X, clenching his fists. "I don't have all day to deal with someone like you."

"My, we are eager, aren't we?" chuckled Sorel. "Slade told me I might have to push you to get you to do the things I tell you..."

"I just figured we'd skip straight to me doing your dumb tasks so that you don't have to threaten my family," said Red X, retaining an anger and defiance in his voice that allowed him to maintain some of his pride. He was reluctant to let Slade push him around... he certainly didn't want some underling doing it. "So, what's the first job?"

"You are to engage Beast Boy and wait until he transforms into a bird... then, you are to pluck one of his feathers and bring it back here."

Red X was puzzled. Taking one of Beast Boy's feathers didn't sound like all that important a task... was Slade trying to make voodoo dolls or something? That definitely seemed beneath someone like Slade. Then, X remembered the first part of the instructions... he was to _engage _Beast Boy. Another battle test. A test that would mean that X would have to fight the Titans again... and there was no way around it.

Beast Boy always transformed into some sort of bird at some time during his fights. Plucking a feather from him wouldn't be all that complicated... and once the feather was retrieved, X could get back to the factory.

It would be easy... if he could go without screwing it up.

"All right," said Red X. "I'll get that feather... anything else you want me to pick up? A gallon of milk, maybe?"

Sorel frowned, and his once calm voice quickly flared up with anger.

"Don't you dare try to make any wisecracks to me... Slade's given me permission to do whatever I want to your precious family, even kill them if you don't do as I say! So don't you _dare _do anything to piss me off, got it?"

__

"He's just like that damn dean..." thought Red X, turning and walking into the elevator he'd come from. _"Sorel, if you touch my family, I'll do the same thing to you that I promised Slade I'd do to him... I'll tear you apart."_

The elevator headed back down to the garage on the ground floor, leaving an annoyed Sorel alone in the large, circular room.

__

"You'll learn soon enough not to trifle with me, boy..." thought Sorel, a scowl on his face. _"You'll respect me soon enough!"_

O-O-O

The metallic gate that had closed behind Red X as he entered the garage was now open, allowing him to walk out into the parking lot, now lit only by streetlamps and moonlight. X smiled... the night was the perfect time for a thief to strike. No light meant little visibility... plenty of shadows to hide in.

But X wasn't going after Xynothium, or a priceless jewel... he was chasing a bird in the wind, a feather more valuable than any gem. He was going to pluck one of Beast Boy's feathers... but in order to do that, he'd have to lure the Titans to him.

For once, Red X was grateful that the Titans always happened to show up whenever he tried to steal something. That would make luring them in a simple task. All he had to do was do what he always did...

O-O-O

The Xantha Building, a thirty-one story office building that housed hundreds of pieces of valuable computer equipment, was just a short distance away from the Tekita Refinery, convenient for Red X because it would allow him both quick access to the building and a quick escape once he took what he needed from Beast Boy.

Though it was getting to be fairly late in the evening, the building was still open, with receptionists and security guards still on duty, and many office workers still pulling late-night shifts, hard at work to get a big report or presentation done for the next morning.

The parking garage under the building was the least-patrolled area, and Red X was easily able to sneak inside without being detected. As he made his way toward the building's ventilation shaft, from where he'd be entering into the building itself, he began once more to feel that familiar adrenaline rush, the rush he got when he was stealing something... or when he was about to fight the Titans. All he had to do was get caught without any of the security guards actually trying to catch him... instead, he'd allow himself to be seen so that hopefully, security would call in the Titans to try and take him out. He'd get into a fight and steal Beast Boy's feather.

__

"Piece of cake," thought Red X, forming a sticky X on each hand and using them to slowly climb up a tall, metallic ventilation shaft. His plan was to use the vent system to enter a locked room where sensitive materials were being stored. He'd steal something and trip a security detector. From there, he could only hope the Titans would arrive soon.

He climbed up the vent until he reached a place where the shaft branched off in different directions. He could go up, left, right, or back down the shaft to where he came. He chose to crawl left, looking down into the tiny slits where the vent fed in air to the different offices of the building.

"I need to find an unlit room," Red X said to himself, knowing that an unlit, and thus unoccupied room would have the highest chance of containing a valuable piece of equipment he could steal. He crawled past several lit rooms before seeing a slit that, when he looked inside, displayed only darkness. He kicked away the metallic vent guard and leaped down into the dark room.

Inside was a well air-conditioned room filled with rows and rows of tall, black servers, with red and green lights that blinked on and off every few seconds. When Red X walked over to the door of the room, a wooden door with a glass window that filled nearly the entire top half of the door, he found it locked. Smiling, he walked back over to a row of servers and began looking for anything valuable he could take.

__

"These servers are pretty nice, but they'd be way too heavy to carry..." thought Red X, gazing around the room for a smaller object such as a disk or a laptop. "Let's see here..."

Suddenly, he could see a bright light being shined into the room from the window in the door. A flashlight, its beam scanning the room and illuminating everything it touched, was being flashed on and off by a security guard who'd heard the vent being kicked in and immediately decided to investigate. Red X smiled, crouching behind a row of servers, the X on his right palm glowing brightly.

"Call the Titans," Red X whispered, watching the beam of the flashlight as it illuminated the top of the machine he was next to. "Call the Titans... you can't take me alone..."

The flashlight shined in the room for several more seconds. The whole time, Red X's mind was busy... he was trying to decide whether to attack the guard or let him leave. If he attacked the guard, the guard might call the Teen Titans... or he might simply call every rent-a-cop in the building instead. If he didn't attack the guard, the Titans certainly wouldn't be called... would this guard call the Titans, or just some of his friends? X couldn't know for sure... but he was going to find out.

Red X rolled out from behind the servers and fired an X that crashed through the window of the door, completely covering the guard's face. He then fired another X that turned into a solid wall of red metal, sealing X inside the room and everyone else out.

__

"Now they'll have _to call the Titans..." _thought Red X, standing up and already hearing a loud commotion outside. _"I can get out, but the guards can't get in... c'mon, Titans... c'mon..."_

The guard outside, blinded by the X, stumbled into a wall several times before reaching down to his radio and sending out a muffled cry for backup. The guards at the main security station, unable to understand their fellow security guard's instructions, simply sounded a loud alarm that put the entire building on alert... and summoned the Teen Titans.

Red X could hear the blaring alarms now, and knew that the entire building was under total lockdown. He smiled... he'd created a big enough emergency that the Teen Titans would have to come and fight him.

__

"That feather is mine..." thought Red X, preparing himself to engage the Teen Titans and remembering that all he had to do was take Beast Boy's feather. He didn't have to fight the Titans to the death, he just had to fight them long enough to pluck a feather from Beast Boy and make his escape.

He didn't have to wait long for the Titans... within just a few minutes, the sealed door was blown apart by a blast from Cyborg's plasma cannon. The five Titans ran into the room, only to be immediately met by a barrage of exploding Xs, targeted at all of them. The Xs exploded, filling a large portion of the room in dust and smoke, and destroying several servers. Sparks from the destroyed equipment further shrouded the already smoky room, and even Red X found it hard to see through the smoke.

__

"That probably wasn't a good idea," thought Red X, coughing as he looked for any sign of his five familiar foes. But when the smoke cleared, they were still standing right when they were when X had blasted them... a dark energy barrier put up by Raven at the last moment protected them from Red X's attack.

"We know that you did not wish to fight Robin last night," said Starfire, a statement that immediately caused a wave of shock to ripple through Red X's entire body. Did the Titans know that he was being manipulated by Slade? They couldn't possibly have found out... could they?

"Something's bothering you... something that usually isn't on your mind," said Raven.

Red X had to keep his cool... he couldn't let the Titans know Slade was controlling him. If he let them know, his family's lives were at stake.

"The only thing bothering me is that you keep showing up every time I try to steal something," said Red X, the Xs on his palms glowing up yet again. "I really wish you'd leave me alone!"

Several shurikens flew out of Red X's palms, almost too quick for the Titans to dodge. It was Robin who had to protect the others, swatting them away with his bo staff.

"I'm getting sick and tired of you always making trouble," said Robin, running toward Red X, "and you're going down... tonight!"

Robin wildly swung his staff at Red X, with little regard for the sensitive equipment nearby. As X deftly leapt out of the way, Robin's staff smashed into two servers, instantly rendering both of them useless. With a cry of frustration, Robin kicked at Red X's head. Red X reached up, grabbed Robin's leg, and slammed him hard into a wooden table behind him, smashing the table in two.

"Robin!" Starfire screamed, launching wave after wave of Starbolts at Red X. Red X leapt back, avoiding the Starbolts and allowing them to fly into a nearby computer, blowing it to pieces.

"Are you trying to hit me, or all this expensive computer equipment?" asked Red X, throwing out an X that slammed into Starfire's chest, pinning her to the wall. Then, he threw another X at the downed Robin. The X landed under Robin, transforming into a small, teardrop-shaped cage that quickly closed up around him, sealing him inside.

After Starfire and Robin were dealt with, Red X took a quick glance around the room, trying to find Beast Boy. Maybe he'd transformed into a hawk, or an eagle, or a...

The next thing Red X felt was a powerful rhinoceros horn that slammed into his chest and tossed him all the way back into the far wall, slamming him through a thick wall of plaster and into a clump of wiring that ran all the way to a group of now-destroyed servers.

Rhinoceros Beast Boy took a few steps back, tracing his hoof along the ground and preparing to charge Red X again. Red X stumbled out of the wall, wearily shaking his head.

__

"Turn into a bird, dammit!" thought Red X, his palm lighting up and firing three sharp Xs that sliced through all three of Beast Boy's horns, cutting them cleanly off. Beast Boy immediately detransformed, holding his nose and howling in pain. "Not a good day to be a rhino, kid..."

"Azarath, metreon, zinthos!"

The wires from the destroyed wall, now controlled by Raven's telekinesis, grabbed Red X's arms and legs and held them tightly in place. As he struggled in the wires, they only constricted him tighter, wrapping around his entire body and cocooning his head.

Raven floated toward Red X, her eyes still aglow with energy. Suddenly, he burst free from the wire cocoon, tackling Raven hard to the ground and punching her in the face. He picked her up and swung her into a still-intact server, causing her to let out a cry of pain as the plastic and metal server shattered on impact. He pinned her to the ground, his knee pressing hard into her stomach, and his hand held high over her face.

"Leave her alone!" Beast Boy shouted, transforming into a cassowary and delivering a powerful kick to Red X's face. X flew backward, off of Raven and completely out of the darkened room, skidding into the hallway and into a crowd of terrified workers fleeing for their lives.

"Unnh..." groaned Red X, rubbing the spot on his head where Beast Boy's deadly bird legs had struck. _"Bird legs... he transformed into a-"_

But as Red X stood up, Beast Boy charged out of the room and into the hall, toward Red X. No longer a bird but a giant gorilla, he picked up the stunned Red X and hurled him into the air, where he was an easy target for a blast from Cyborg's arm cannon. The blast struck Red X in the chest, hurling him past Beast Boy and slamming him to the ground, where he skidded several feet before coming to a stop and slowly standing up. Now out in the fifth-floor hallway, he was once again face-to-face with all five Titans... and Beast Boy, who had again transformed into his normal self, was giving no indication that he'd turn into a bird again anytime soon.

Now Red X was getting nervous again... he didn't want to fight the Titans any longer than he had to... he had one chance to get a feather from Beast Boy, and he completely blew it. Now, he had to hope he could keep them busy long enough for Beast Boy to transform into a bird again... otherwise, he'd fail the mission... and his mother and Maddy would suffer the consequences.

He pointed his palms outward to attack the Titans again, but Robin suddenly shot a Batcable out that wrapped around Red X's wrists, lashing them tightly together.

"No more," said Robin, an angry glare on his face. "You're under arre-"

Red X tugged on the cable, launching Robin forward, where he'd be helpless to stop a direct attack.

"No!" Starfire screamed, launching a Starbolt at the middle of the cable and stopping Robin's flight toward Red X. The cable loosened, allowing Red X to free his hands, and sending Robin flying back toward the other Titans. The entire hall now became engulfed in dark energy, and chunks of plaster and tile began lifting up from the floor and walls, ready to be used as projectiles that Raven could throw at Red X. As the chunks of wall and floor began flying, Cyborg charged forward, sweeping his leg down at Red X's ankles. Red X leapt up and was suddenly tackled hard by Beast Boy, now transformed into a strong, muscular green tiger. The tiger pressed him tightly to the ground, snarling and growling just as he had when he'd managed to tackle X in the museum. Using all of his strength, Red X hurled the tiger off of him and into the wall, just before taking several shots to the face, chest, and legs from the chunks of tile propelled by Raven's telekinesis.

X stumbled forward, bruised by the attacks and hoping to retreat further down the hallway. In his path stood Starfire, her eyes and hands ablaze with energy. Before she fired, she hesitated slightly, unsure about attacking someone she thought was being controlled.

"I... do not wish... to harm you," said Starfire, in as kind a voice as she could. "Please surrender, and-"

Without a word, Red X fired a single small X at Starfire's head. She gasped, then breathed a sigh of relief as a Bat-a-rang thrown by Robin cut through the X and embedded itself in the wall next to her.

"Star, what's wrong?" asked Robin, concerned that Starfire didn't immediately attack Red X. She shook her head, realizing that she'd made a mistake.

"Nothing is wrong, I just... he is getting away!" Starfire shouted. She pointed at Red X, who'd stuck an X to the ceiling that had opened up into an X large enough for someone to jump through. He did just that, leaping up to the next floor and dashing down the hallway past several offices before the Titans could give chase. He spun around, shooting out four Xs deliberately aimed at all the Titans except for Beast Boy.

"Gotcha," said Red X, smiling as the Xs expanded into metal bands that wrapped around their four targets. Robin, Raven, Starfire, and Cyborg lost their balance as their arms were rendered useless, and they fell to the ground. Beast Boy ran past them, thinking that X had forgotten him by accident.

"You didn't get all of us, Red X," shouted Beast Boy, transforming into a T-Rex and letting out a loud roar. Red X held his ground, his palms lighting up as he prepared another attack.

"Maybe I wanted to take you out another way... like this!" shouted Red X, firing sixteen shuriken Xs from his hands. Beast Boy, realizing he couldn't dodge them all as a lumbering T-Rex, transformed into a creature that he knew would have a much easier time... a flying squirrel. He glided swiftly past all the Xs, allowing them to fly past him before he transformed back to his normal form once more. _"Damn, a flying squirrel? Does he _know_ I want him to be a bird?_"

Beast Boy transformed again... this time into a swift and agile monkey. He cartwheeled toward Red X, who simply leaped over him and kicked him hard in the back. Beast Boy flew forward and transformed into a wolverine, spinning around and diving on Red X's chest, digging into him with powerful claws and teeth. Red X and wolverine Beast Boy rolled on the ground for several seconds before X managed to grab Beast Boy by the tail and slam him into the wall, again causing Beast Boy to detransform into a human again.

"Give it up, kid," said Red X, standing over Beast Boy, who by now was slumped against the wall and ready to pass out.

"Never..." whispered Beast Boy, looking down the hall at his friends, who were still struggling in the metal bands Red X had placed around them. "As long as my friends are in trouble, I'll never give up!"

"That's a nice sentiment," replied Red X, while silently admiring Beast Boy's determination. "But I'm just about ready to get out of here, kid, and it looks like you're about out of tricks."

Beast Boy smiled.

"Actually," he said, "I do have one more..."

Beast Boy transformed into a rattlesnake, leaping toward Red X with sharp fangs ready to strike. But Red X struck faster, grabbing the snake by its neck and squeezing hard, choking Beast Boy enough to nearly render him unconscious.

"That's pretty pathetic for a last trick," said Red X, his hand clenched tightly around snake Beast Boy's thin neck.

"Beast Boy, fight him!" Robin shouted, trying to will his friend back into action.

"Yes, please, do not let the X beat you!" screamed Starfire.

"You can do it, BB!" Cyborg chimed in.

Hearing the cheers and encouragement of his friends made Beast Boy _want _to fight harder, but he still couldn't find the strength to break out of Red X's grip. He took another look at his friends... his eyes suddenly met Raven's. She appeared to be trying to break free of her bonds the most out of all the Titans... and though she wasn't saying anything, her wide, nervous eyes told Beast Boy that even Raven was concerned for his safety... and that he had to get free and help her... had to get free and help all of the Titans.

Beast Boy transformed into a hummingbird... and jammed his long beak right into Red X's eye.

Red X let out a scream, his left hand flying to his eye, which was burning with pain.

"You little... bastard!" shouted Red X, plunging his right fist forward and catching Beast Boy head on, knocking the poor little hummingbird into the wall and immediately rendering him unconscious. As hummingbird Beast Boy slid against the wall, Red X's anger turned to joy... what he'd been hoping for had finally happened... a chance to pluck one of Beast Boy's feathers. He reached down and claimed a tailfeather from the unconscious bird, placing it into one of the empty compartments on his belt and turning back toward the Titans. "Now that I got what I came for, I'll be seeing all of you later..."

Red X shot an X down toward the floor. It expanded, turning into an X-shaped hole that penetrated all the way down to the front lobby... an easy escape for the costumed thief.

"You won't get away!" shouted Robin, but it was Raven who was the angriest of all... seeing Red X so callously attack Beast Boy had touched a chord within her, and she ripped free of her bonds, charging a huge amount of dark energy into her palms.

"AZARATH, METREON, ZINTHOS!" Raven screamed, firing out an enormous dark energy beam straight at Red X. He leapt down through the hole in the ground just before the beam would've hit, and it continued on past him before slamming into the end of the hallway with an incredible explosion of dark light. _"Missed him..."_

Red X landed on a large desk... he turned around and looked straight into the eyes of the building's terrified receptionist, a young woman with a cute orange ponytail. Her eyes widened, and she began to stammer fearfully.

"N...n...not again..." After coming face to face with Control Freak at her video store job, Mumbo Jumbo at the bank, and the HIVE Academy members at the mall, seeing the city's most notorious thief, Red X, was the most terrifying experience of all. She passed out at her desk, and Red X turned around, dashing out the building as quickly as he could, Beast Boy's feather tucked safely in his belt. The Titans dropped into the lobby just a few seconds later, but by then, Red X was long gone.

"Lost him again!" Robin shouted, angrily staring out the front door of the building. "We need to try and follow him..."

"Beast Boy is badly damaged..." said Starfire, looking at the unconscious Beast Boy, now detransformed and in Raven's arms. "Perhaps we should take him to the tower and-"

"Robin's right," said Raven, "if we're going to have any chance of finding Red X, we've got to try and follow him. Maybe he'll take us to whoever's giving him orders. _Sorry, Beast Boy, but I'm pretty sure you'd do the same thing..._"

"_If _someone's giving him orders," said Robin, still skeptical that someone was controlling Red X. "Titans, go!"

The Titans dashed out of the building to give pursuit of Red X... then realized how hopeless it was to try and follow him. Several streets led to and from the building, not to mention all the dark alleys and hidden alcoves that the darkness of the city concealed at night. Red X was long gone.

"C'mon, Robin," Cyborg said, placing his hand on Robin's shoulder as he began dashing down a nearby street. "X is gone..."

Robin's anger and disappointment at once more letting the thief elude his grasp were clearly evident on the young crimefighter's face. But even if he was right... even if X was still working alone, without outside orders or help... what was he trying to accomplish by engaging the Titans so frequently? He had several opportunities to escape during the fight, but seemed to stick around only until he'd been able to have a few minutes alone with Beast Boy.

Whatever X was up to... it certainly wasn't the normal actions of a master thief.

O-O-O

Red X returned to the large, circular elevator room at the Tekita Refinery. Sorel was still there... and he was delighted that Red X had accomplished his first mission. X handed him the small feather, which Sorel took quite eagerly.

"It's not quite as big as I would've liked, but... it'll most certainly do," said Sorel.

"It's not the feather you were after... is it?" Red X replied, knowing that he'd been put to quite the test in order to retrieve it.

"That's for me to know, and you to find out," Sorel said. "I'll be by sometime later to give you your second task... right now, you should probably get home and rest. Your family must be pretty worried about you by now."

He'd be by sometime later... no matter where Red X went, he'd always have to be ready for another mission from Sorel... another test from Slade.

Remembering what Sorel had told him earlier, Red X didn't bother antagonizing Sorel with another cocky remark. Instead, X simply shrugged his shoulders and left the refinery the way he came, expressing in his mind the hatred for Sorel and Slade that he couldn't express with his lips... at least not yet.

__

"Sorel's right about one thing... my family is definitely worried about me... I need to get home to them."

O-O-O

After using the fire escape to sneak up to his room, Sanza removed the Red X costume and placed it under his bed. He looked down at his body... only a few new bruises had shown up, and they could easily be attributed to his earlier fight with Robin.

__

"I'll be by sometime later to give you your second task..."

Sanza couldn't get those words out of his head. The first task had been hard enough... had Beast Boy not transformed into a hummingbird when he did, the other Titans most likely would've escaped before he'd have been able to collect the feather. And if that had happened...

Sanza couldn't concern himself with 'what ifs'. He'd gotten the feather, he'd completed his mission, his family was safe.

The house was dark, and Sanza's mother and Maddy had already gone to sleep... but Sanza still knew he had to tell them he was all right. When they'd come back, he was gone... they were definitely still worried about him.

Sanza decided he'd visit his mother, and his mother only... Maddy was asleep, she'd see him when she got up, but Sanza knew he wouldn't be able to sleep until he apologized to his mother at least. He quietly walked past Maddy's room to his mother's, and slowly creaked open the door. She lay on her bead, sleeping peacefully. Sanza tiptoed over to her and knelt down, kissing her on her forehead.

"Mom, I..." Sanza whispered, still unsure of what to say. _"Sorry I yelled? Sorry I got into a fight? Sorry I ran off? Sorry I endangered you by stealing a supersuit from the Teen Titans that's made me a target for psychopaths who want me to be their apprentice?"_

Sanza's mother wearily opened her eyes, turning over and looking up at Sanza. Sanza expected her to be mad that Sanza had run off, or had woken her up... but instead, she smiled, offering Sanza her warmest, most loving gaze.

"Mmm... did you just come in?" Sanza's mother asked, still smiling. Sanza nodded. "Sanza... sweetie, I love you... just please, please don't get into anymore fights..."

"I promise, mom... no more fights."

"I love you, Sanza..."

"Love you too, mom... just woke you up to say I was sorry."

Sanza walked out of his mother's room with a smile, having said all that he needed to say.

__

"Sanza Salazar promises he won't get into anymore fights... but I can't make any promises for my friend Red X..."

O-O-O

The Titans are baffled... what did Red X hope to accomplish by fighting them? Red X knows, Sanza knows, and all of you know... but what's going to happen when Red X is given his second task, whatever that might be? And will it involve the Titans again? Find out next chapter...


	8. Thief, Interrupted

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Teen Titans. If I did, this would be on TV and not here.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This doesn't take place in the same storyline as my "Forced Base" and "Fractured Heart" stories, so forget those when you're reading this. Also, this takes place after the fourth season, so anything that happens in the show after that isn't applicable to this. Also, about Sanza/Red X: When he's wearing the mask, he's Red X. When he's not, he's Sanza. Simple as that.

O-O-O

Robin had had just about enough of fighting Red X. The thief had battled the Titans no less than three times in three days, and counting the one-on-one duel Robin had with Red X, four times.

X had taken a Xynothium reactor, he'd tried to steal from the museum, and he'd even kidnapped Starfire. Robin still couldn't get over the fact that Red X had taken Starfire. He hadn't hurt her, but that didn't matter to Robin. The thought of Starfire scared, helpless, and crying... when Robin had seen the tears on Starfire's face during his duel with Red X, the tolerance he'd had for the thief was completely eradicated. No more. If Robin had anything to say about it, X would be in jail... as soon as possible.

Up in his room, Robin studied several clues he'd taken from the Titans' fight with X at the Xantha Building. Red X had left several shuriken Xs in the fifth floor hallway, and Robin was studying them all for a clue about X's identity. He could find no DNA on the metal Xs, but that didn't stop him from looking... if it was the last thing he did, he was going to find Red X and put him in jail.

__

"Nobody takes Starfire and gets away with it... nobody."

It was then that the door to Robin's room slid open, and the reason for Robin's obsessive search for answers stepped inside. The door closed, and Robin heard the first voice he'd heard since he'd gotten up that morning.

"Please, come down for lunch... the others have eaten, and-"

Robin looked up from the table, his eyes looking up into what Robin believed to be the most beautiful face on the planet... or any planet, for that matter.

"Just a few more minutes, Star... I've just about figured out-"

"No, you have not," said Starfire, placing her hand on top of Robin's as he reached for a handheld DNA testing device that he'd placed on his desk. "If you were going to find something out, you would have already done it hours ago... I know you, and when you discover something, it doesn't take you this long."

Robin sighed. Again, he knew that he was probably working a lot harder than he should be... and Starfire was being completely honest with him. She wouldn't lie, especially to him... but Robin was determined to stop Red X from striking again. If he didn't keep working, the next time Red X attacked, someone could get hurt... someone like Starfire.

"I said just a few minutes!" Robin said, this time almost shouting. Starfire stepped back, removing her hand from Robin's and raising it to her chest. Immediately, Robin realized he'd made a mistake. "Starfire, look, I-"

"Robin..." Starfire said sadly, genuinely concerned for her friend's health. "I believe you when you say that Red X is dangerous, but... perhaps we should work on figuring out _why_ he is dangerous. We usually have to fight him only a few times a month, but now he is attacking everyday... it is not like him, and that is why I believe he is being controlled."

"But by _who_?" Robin replied, rising from his chair and speaking slightly calmer. "I know that you and Raven think that someone's giving X orders, but until I have a concrete idea on who that person might be, I've got to go with my theory, that he's still working alone and he's just become a much bigger threat. We're not dealing with someone like Slade, who uses complex schemes to manipulate others into doing his bidding... we're dealing with a thief who does all his dirty work directly. We're dealing with someone who doesn't have any qualms about who he hurts to get what he wants. We're dealing with someone who kept you tied up in a trunk for six hours, Starfire, and I can't believe that you'd actually want to defend someone like that!"

__

"So that is what this is about..." thought Starfire, who had previously believed that Robin had gotten over her abduction by now. _"He is still angry at Red X for abducting me... I appreciate Robin's concern, in fact, I almost enjoy it, but..."_

The young Tamaranian girl didn't know how to respond. She couldn't be angry with Robin just because he cared about her, could she? Especially when she cared about him the same way... if X had taken Robin instead of her, Star wasn't so sure that she wouldn't be the one obsessing about finding him.

She understood how Robin felt... but she also understood that there were other villains in the city besides Red X. If Robin became too obsessed with catching one villain, he wouldn't be fit to catch any others... Starfire had to say something to change Robin's mood.

"Please, Robin... just come down and eat lunch, and then you may do as you please," said Starfire, smiling to lighten the mood. "Raven is working diligently to find out if Red X is or is not being controlled... I just want you to come down and-"

But before Starfire could continue, the warning sirens in the tower went off, and the door to the room slid open again. It was Raven, seemingly with urgent news.

"Trouble in the city," she said. Almost immediately, Robin feared the worst.

"X again," Robin said, anger creeping back into his voice.

"No," Raven corrected. "It's..."

O-O-O

Detention, for lack of a better term... sucked. All the work of school, without any of the fun. No getting to talk to one's friends, no possibility of the teacher relenting and having a game day or showing a video... it was just boring work, rude kids, and a teacher who'd have you suspended if you sneezed the wrong way.

If there was one good thing about detention, it was that it gave Sanza a chance to think... at least once all his work was done. Without distractions, Sanza finished his assignments quickly, and he began to work on something that was really important... an apology letter to Cleo.

__

"Let's see here... 'sorry about the remark in Algebra II class... I completely trashed our friendship and I'm a big jerk'? No, that's not gonna work at all..." thought Sanza, rubbing his eraser on a piece of white stationary paper. He rubbed the paper hard enough to make a small tear, a noise loud enough to alert the teacher who was overseeing the detention, a tall, bulky man by the name of Mr. Backlund.

"Sanza, what in the world are you doing back there?" shouted Mr. Backlund. "If your work is done, put your head down on the desk and be quiet until the bell rings to dismiss school!"

Sanza sighed, putting away his torn paper but keeping his pencil on his desk.

"I can't even write something for a friend?" asked Sanza, trying to be as calm as he possibly could, because if he got suspended, he wouldn't get to see Cleo at all.

"No, because you're making too much noise!" Mr. Backlund shouted. "Unless you can write without making the tiniest sound, put your head down and-"

"I promise I'll be as quiet as a mouse," said Sanza, pulling out another sheet of paper and placing it on his desk.

"Dude, you better do what Mr. Asslund says," whispered a student next to Sanza, chuckling, "or he'll suspend you for like a whole year."

"What did I just hear you say?" shouted Mr. Backlund, rising from his desk and walking over to the student, having heard the 'Asslund' remark. "Did I just hear you call me Mr. Asslund?"

The other students in the room began to laugh, giving Sanza precious time to start his apology letter.

__

Dear Cleo...

Bringing you into my sarcastic remark yesterday was really stupid of me... I was a complete douchebag, and I really hope this doesn't ruin our friendship. Please, if you can find it in your heart to forgive me...

Sanza continued writing as Mr. Backlund chewed out the class, finishing his letter just as the bell rang to end school. As the students, including Sanza, got up to leave, Mr. Backlund returned to his desk, shouting in an angry tone.

"Since none of you in here seems to have any respect for me whatsoever, you can all spend an extra day in detention! That includes you, Sanza, since you're the whole damn reason the entire class started mocking me!"

"But dude, tomorrow's Saturday," said one of the students, receiving a high-five from a friend.

"Then you can all come in tomorrow morning at eight o'clock sharp, and stay until noon! That'll teach you little hoodlums some respect!"

Sanza barely heard Mr. Backlund, as he was already halfway down the hall with his hastily-scribbled apology letter in hand.

__

"Saturday," thought Sanza with a sigh. _"Whatever... it's not like I've got anything to do on Saturday morning besides sleep and watch Maddy's dumb cartoons. Right now, I've got to get this letter to Cleo and get home to mom and Maddy..."_

All that day, Sanza had done a fairly good job of keeping his mind off of his battle with the Titans the previous night. Every time he thought about it, he thought about the fact that Sorel could give him a new mission at any time, and that was a truly unpleasant thought indeed. He walked down the long hallway to the door that led outside to the buses, and tried to spot Cleo in the crowd of students leaving the school.

Just like yesterday, she was walking to her bus, her books in hand. Sanza still remembered the slap she'd given him, and hoped that she was a bit less angry from the previous day. He just wanted to give Cleo the note, get onto his own bus, and hope that she actually read it... if she did something like tear the note up, Sanza knew it could be weeks or even months before Cleo would even want to talk to him again... _if _she ever wanted to talk to him again.

But as Sanza approached her, his cell phone rang. Thinking little of it, he took out his phone and heard the terrible voice on the other end.

"Sanza, this is Sorel... I have another mission for you."

Sanza stopped cold. He turned and looked briefly to where Cleo was... but she'd already boarded her bus. By now, most of the students had boarded the buses... Sanza would have to get on his bus quickly or be left behind.

"Sorel, I need to get back home and get my suit..."

"Be here in a half hour."

The connection ceased, and Sanza remained frozen on the sidewalk, still standing a good distance away from his bus.

He knew the moment would come, the moment when he'd receive another mission... but he didn't think it would be so soon, less than twenty-four hours removed from the last one.

He put his cell phone in his pocket and ran inside his bus. The door closed behind him, and the bus started up, carrying Sanza back home and to his Red X suit... and to the next horrible mission that lay ahead.

O-O-O

Sanza sat on his bed for several seconds, pondering the suit that was waiting for him underneath. He'd been given thirty minutes, and the bus ride had wasted ten... so what was he doing still inside his room, sitting on his bed?

He'd barely been able to take the feather from Beast Boy... a useless artifact, only stolen to prove that Sanza could, in fact, steal it. So what was he going to have to steal this time?

Maybe Slade would have him kidnap Starfire again. Sanza still remembered how ferociously Robin had fought when Starfire's life was in danger... Sanza had barely been able to escape with his own life, or at least it seemed like it. But taking Starfire seemed like a foolish crusade to send Sanza on... he'd just get pummeled again. Sanza hoped that he wouldn't have to kidnap Starfire a second time... besides the fact that Robin's wrath genuinely scared him, it just seemed... morally wrong.

A master thief, addicted to stealing, thinking about morals. Sanza shook his head... morals didn't matter anymore... as long as Slade held Sanza's family's life in his hands, Sanza would have to do whatever he said, and that was that. Until Sanza could work up the courage to confront Slade, and he constantly promised himself that day would come... morals would have to take a back seat.

Sanza knelt down and began reaching under his bed to take the suit... when he heard the door open behind him. Quickly, Sanza turned around and saw his little sister Maddy smiling down at him.

"Hi, Sanza..." she said, in as precocious a voice as she could. "What'cha doin'?"

Sanza couldn't help but jumping, even if just a little bit. He hadn't expected his sister at all... he quickly went back into 'big brother mode', frowning and gesturing at Maddy to get out of his room.

"What the heck are _you _doing, brat?" snapped Sanza, waving Maddy toward the door. "Shoo! Go away!"

"It looks like you were hiding something... do you have drugs under your bed?"

__

"Under my bed? Oh, God forbid the little brat look under there..." thought Sanza, knowing that if Maddy saw the Red X suit, all hell could break loose. "Yes, Maddy, I have drugs under my bed. Want a hit?"

Maddy giggled, amused by Sanza's sarcasm.

"No, that's okay, Sanza..."

"Really, Maddy, I insist," said Sanza, leaning over and slugging his little sister on her arm. Not hard enough to hurt her... well, much, anyway.

"Ow!" shouted Maddy, her face contorting into a pained, angry frown. "I just wanted to see what you were doing, jerk!"

Maddy lunged forward and punched Sanza hard in the stomach. He immediately doubled over, genuinely in pain. With a smile and another giggle, Maddy ran out of Sanza's room, dashing down the hallway and sliding down the stairs. Sanza stumbled over to his door and closed it before reaching under his bed and pulling out the Red X costume.

"Better keep that punch of yours nice and strong..." groaned Sanza as he began removing his clothes. "If Slade comes by, you might need it..."

O-O-O

Red X reached Tekita Refinery a few minutes later than Sorel had instructed... fashionably late, just like a master thief. As much of a jerk that Sorel was, Red X knew he couldn't make too much of a fuss about a few extra minutes.

He returned to the circular elevator room using the same route he usually took. There, Sorel was waiting for him.

"You're late," said Sorel in a slightly annoyed tone, his arms across his chest. "I told you thirty minutes, and-"

"My watch was a bit slow," replied Red X casually. "You'll have to excuse me for that."

"I don't have to do anything, it's you who's working for me, and when I tell you to get here in thirty minutes, you'll be here in thirty minutes! Remember, your family's still under our surveillance, and I can have them killed any time I want."

Again with the threatening of his family... every time Slade or Sorel made that threat, it made Red X want to bash their heads in just a little more... and X was pretty close to reaching his breaking point.

"Enough idle chit-chat, what's the mission this time?" asked Red X. "I'm late, but I'm here. That's enough for you."

"I told you you'd learn some respect soon enough... but for now, I'll give you your next mission just to get your disrespectful mouth away from me," Sorel said. "The Teen Titans' official vehicle of transportation... the T-Car, has a chip inside that runs the car's entire computer system. I want you to get that chip for me and bring it back here."

X had seen the T-Car only one, and only then when running by it while trying to escape the Teen Titans. He had no idea where in the car to start looking for the chip... not to mention that the car was most likely parked at Titans Tower, safely within some highly-secured garage.

Again, an easy job for a master thief like Red X... as long as he didn't get caught this time.

O-O-O

At the moment, the Teen Titans had a more immediate threat to worry about than Red X. Their old nemesis Atlas had returned and rebuilt, and had attacked the city, looking for Cyborg so that the two could battle once more. Instead, he was faced with all five Titans... but he had some new techniques prepared for them.

The battle was taking place in a part of the city some distance away from Sanza's neighborhood... the far northern part of the city, in an area lined with tall office buildings on one side, and beautiful townhouses on the other. The fight had taken its toll on some of the townhouses however, including one that had been completely destroyed when Atlas threw Cyborg into it. Had its occupants not been away when it had happened, they might have been severely hurt. As it stood, the only people who seemed in danger of being hurt were the Titans, faced with a barrage of new weapons that their foe had equipped.

"Atlas will have his revenge!" shouted the enormous mechanical man. He pointed his arm at the Titans, causing a series of gears and mechanisms within the arm to activate. In a fraction of a second, Atlas's arm had become a gigantic fire cannon. "Thanks to my upgrade, I no longer need a mechanic!"

A jet of flame shot forth from the cannon, causing the five Titans to scatter before the flame hit. Beast Boy transformed into a lion and leaped at Atlas, but was quickly smacked away as Atlas swung the side of the cannon into Beast Boy's stomach.

"Man, you were weak last time, and you're even more weak this time!" shouted Cyborg, shooting a powerful concussion blast from his own arm cannon. Atlas smiled as his other arm transformed into a large sonic collector disk, which he placed in front of the concussion blast, easily absorbing it. Cyborg gasped in surprise, stepping back just as Robin and Raven coordinated an attack of their own.

With Robin leaping toward Atlas' right arm, and Raven leaping toward his left, the two each ensnared one of Atlas' arms. Raven used her telekinesis to hold Atlas' left arm in place, and Robin used his Batcables to pull back Atlas' right.

"Now, Starfire!" Robin shouted. Starfire flew at Atlas, tossing dozens of Starbolts his way.

"Fools, you walked right into my trap!" shouted Atlas, using his superior strength to fling Raven and Robin forward. Robin's Batcable snapped, and the two superheroes collided both with each other and the Starbolts before slamming into Starfire and ending up on the ground in one big heap. Atlas began taunting the fallen heroes, when suddenly, he felt a powerful fist strike the back of his head, knocking him forward. It was Cyborg, eager to take out Atlas for a second time.

"Booyah!" shouted Cyborg, thinking his punch had disoriented his gargantuan opponent. "Cyborg 2, Atlas 0!"

Atlas turned around and smiled. Both of his arm cannons had been converted to enormous gatling guns.

"Someone's about to even the score," said Atlas, firing both guns at Cyborg simultaneously and riddling him with holes. Cyborg stumbled back, looking more like a piece of Swiss cheese than a Teen Titan.

"Holy Cyborg!" Robin shouted, running toward Atlas with a small grenade in his hand. "Take this, Atlas!"

Robin hurled the grenade at Atlas, but suddenly, two large rocket boosters sprung from the mighty robot's feet, jettisoning him skyward and away from the grenade. He was quickly surrounded by Starfire, Raven, and a pterodactyl-transformed Beast Boy.

"You will not get away so easily!" shouted Starfire, blasting Atlas with an eye laser that traced up his body from below his waist to the top of his chest, scarcely making a single burn. "How did-"

"Azarath, metreon, zinthos!" screamed Raven, firing her most powerful blast of dark energy at Atlas's chest, while Beast Boy furiously slammed his body into the back of Atlas' head.

"Fools!" shouted Atlas, swatting Starfire, Raven, and Beast Boy out of the sky with a single swipe of his arm. "Atlas has learned from his mistakes... you will not be winning this battle so easily!"

Atlas' arms transformed into powerful cannons, pointed at the Titans as they lay bruised on the ground. In seconds, Atlas charged a powerful golden energy blast that flew out of his cannons and slammed into the ground, detonating and engulfing all five Titans. When the smoke and dust cleared, the Titans lay in a large, smoldering crater in the middle of the street, moaning in pain. Slowly, Atlas lowered himself into the center of the crater, his hands on his hips.

"Atlas is victorious," said Atlas tauntingly.

__

"He's a lot tougher this time around," thought Robin, slowly picking himself up from the ground. _"How are we gonna-"_

Suddenly, a red X slammed into Atlas' back, sending a wave of electricity through his body. As Atlas cried out in pain and fell to one knee, the Titans looked up out of the crater. There, down the street, his palm pointed outward toward the crater, was Red X.

Robin immediately stood up, wondering whether to be angry, stunned, relieved, or a combination of the three.

"What are you doing here?" Robin shouted, more irate at Red X than he was at Atlas.

"Well, seeing as how I've been giving you guys such a hard time the past few days, I thought I'd make up for it by showing up and helping you out for a change," said Red X, concealing his real motive. He peered past Atlas and the Titans... there, on the other side of the crater, was the T-Car, parked out in the middle of the road.

Red X couldn't look long. Atlas quickly recovered, blasting Red X with a charged shot from his arm cannon that knocked the thief off his feet, sending him skidding backward along the pavement.

"Whoever you are, you're no match for Atlas!" Atlas said, rising up out of the crater and walking toward Red X, who was still lying on the ground. As he began walking, Starfire floated in front of him, blasting him in the face with multiple Starbolts.

"Leave him alone!" shouted Starfire, hurling her Starbolts into Atlas at point-blank range. _"Even if the Red X is still our enemy, he came to help us, and I will not Atlas harm him!"_

Red X stood up, rubbing his head and smiling at the thought that Starfire would come to his rescue.

"Well, well, well," Red X said, smiling under his mask. "Guess I'd better return the favor..."

"Just because you're helping us doesn't make us teammates!" said Robin, swatting at Atlas' legs with his bo staff. "As soon as this is over..."

"I thought you said you didn't want to fight me," said Red X, leaping over Atlas and slapping an X across the top of his head. As Atlas tried to smack Robin and Starfire away from him, he suddenly felt a powerful paralytic wave sweep through his body, making it impossible for him to move his body.

"What... what did you do to me?" shouted Atlas, helpless to stop Starfire and Robin's relentless attack.

"Signals in the X shorted out a key part of your robotic brain that allows you to move," said Red X. "Doesn't work on Cyborg because a lot of his brain is human, but yours..."

"ERRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAGH!" shouted Atlas, thrusting his arms outward and catching both Robin and Starfire in their chests, knocking both of them out. The X that had been on Atlas' head split into two pieces and fluttered to the ground. Red X immediately recoiled, surprised that Atlas had been able to break out of the attack so quickly.

"That might not always work," said Raven, her hands engulfed in a dark, black flame, "but this does!"

Raven slammed both of her hands into Atlas' chest, and his body lit up in black flame like a Gothic Christmas tree. He stumbled back, screaming in pain as he tried to extinguish the flames.

"All those new gadgets, and you don't have a fire extinguisher?" taunted Cyborg, blasting Atlas in the back and knocking his burning robotic body into the crater he'd made earlier. While this was going on, Red X snuck away from the fight, running toward the T-Car while the Titans were distracted.

__

"I think I can leave them alone for a little while," thought Red X, sliding under the car and looking at the complex machinery underneath. _"Now where are you, little disc?"_

With a loud battle cry, Atlas slammed his fists into the dirt of the crater, tossing up enough dust to extinguish Raven's dark flames. Seeing Starfire, Robin, and Raven running toward him, he transformed his fists into clamps. One of the clamps encircled Starfire and Raven's waists, while the other clasped around Robin's, squeezing tightly like a vice. Cyborg pointed his plasma cannon at Atlas, but Atlas simply countered by swinging the clamped Titans out in front of him like a shield.

"You can blast me, but you'd be blasting your friends as well!" shouted Atlas. "Do you really want to take that risk?"

"That's pretty cheap, having to use our friends as a shield," said Beast Boy, transforming into an octopus and grabbing onto Atlas' face, blocking his sight. Atlas stumbled back, preoccupied with prying octo-Beast Boy from his face. This gave Robin the chance to smash his bo staff into Atlas' chest.

"Not under the car..." said Red X quietly, rolling out from under the T-Car and gazing down at the hood. "Maybe..."

While Red X popped the hood, the five Titans dueled with Atlas in the crater. The blow from Robin's staff caused Atlas to loosen his clamps around Robin, Starfire, and Raven, dropping the three of them to the ground and enabling them to rejoin the battle.

But while the Titans prepared for another strike, Robin's mind was quickly becoming distracted. The immediate concern should've been Atlas, but now that Red X had shown up, apparently to help the Titans... something just didn't make sense.

__

"And where did he go, anyway?" thought Robin, looking around the edge of the crater for any sign of the thief-turned-temporary-hero. _"What could he be up to?"_

"Robin, look out!"

Starfire's scream didn't come in time to stop Atlas' fist from slamming into Robin's face, knocking him into the side of the crater and briefly disorienting him.

Back at the T-Car, Red X feverishly searched the hood. Circuitry, metallic parts, engines, carburetors... but no disc. Not even a hint of a disc drive, something that Red X could've forced a disc out of with an electrical charge.

__

"It must be inside the car," thought Red X, a red blade extending from his right wrist. _"I'm starting to feel like those losers Vick and Mick doing this..."_

Inside the crater, Atlas had grabbed Starfire and Raven by their heads. He quickly bashed them together, then suddenly, he heard a loud roar. Beast Boy, in grizzly bear form, was charging toward him with his mighty paws extended. Smiling, Atlas clamped his robotic fingers around Beast Boy's wrists, hurling him all the way out of the crater and onto the hard concrete above. Now, the only people standing in the crater were Atlas and an extremely angry Cyborg.

"As you can see, your friends are useless to stop me... and you can't possibly beat my upgrades," said Atlas, his body towering over Cyborg's. "Face it... you're an obsolete piece of machinery."

"I told you before... it's not the machine, it's the man," said Cyborg, "and I'm a bigger man than you'll ever be!"

Cyborg lunged forward, but Atlas counted, and the two found themselves in a familiar brawl... jockeying for position inside the middle of the crater. Their arms were locked around each other's, furiously pushing back and forth... but this time, it seemed that Atlas was winning.

"Unless you can go to 500, there's no way you'll be able to beat me," said Atlas, smiling. Cyborg tried pushing back with all of his might, but he quickly realized that what Atlas said was true... he hadn't upgraded nearly as much as Atlas had.

__

"I'm gonna beat this guy..." thought Cyborg, determined not to let his friends down. He pushed Atlas harder, thinking of his friends lying injured on the ground. "You... won't... beat... me!"

"There it is," said Red X, eyeing the disc slot next to the dashboard. He slapped an X above the drive and watched eagerly as a burst of electricity forced the blue and black disk from his slot. He pulled it out of the drive and pocketed it in his belt before pulling off the X and leaving the car. _"Now to finish off this Atlas freak..."_

Beast Boy stood up and watched as Red X ran toward the crater.

__

"Wonder what he was doing over by the T-Car...?" thought Beast Boy.

As Cyborg and Atlas continued to struggle in the crater, Red X leapt down and slashed his blade across Atlas' back, making a large gash in the hard metal. Atlas immediately turned around, grabbing Red X by the neck and holding him in the air.

"How DARE you!" shouted Atlas, squeezing tightly on Red X's neck. "I should pop your head from your shoulders!"

"The only thing you should do... is look behind you..." chuckled Red X as Robin leapt up and stabbed his bo staff into the large slice X made in Atlas' back. As Atlas screamed in pain, Raven stood up and began channeling dark energy into the staff. The energy went through the staff directly into Atlas, frying every circuit it touched. Starfire ripped the staff from Atlas' back and smashed it several times across his face, causing the dazed and confused robot to stumble straight into a punch from Cyborg. The punch was the last straw for Atlas, whose eyes rolled back into his head as he collapsed unconscious in the middle of the crater, dropping Red X to the ground as he fell.

"Robin..." said Starfire, handing her staff back to her teammate, "are we now going to fight Red X? Because I do not believe-"

"Why did you come here?" asked Robin, retracting his staff and placing it on his utility belt.

"I told you," replied Red X, hopping out of the crater on the opposite side of the T-Car. "I came because I've fought against you guys for a while now, and I thought I should help you out for a change."

"Or maybe," said Robin, angrily stepping out of the crater and walking toward Red X, "you came to fight us and you found out that Atlas beat you to it."

"Believe what you want to believe, kid," said Red X, turning away from Robin and starting into a run. "Oh, and by the way... you're welcome."

But as Red X started to run, a dark shadow towered in his path, melding into the cloaked figure of Raven.

"Hold it," said Raven. "Robin's right... you need to tell us why you came here. Otherwise, we'll have no choice but to fight you."

Red X was nervous... his mask concealed it, but underneath, he was sweating. If the Titans figured out he'd taken their T-Car chip, a fight would certainly be unavoidable.

He didn't know that Raven too wanted to avoid a fight... she simply wanted Red X to slip up and give her a clue about who he might be working for. She could sense the fear vibes from his mind, but she couldn't know whether he was scared of the Titans, or someone else... she'd have to take a closer look to determine that.

"Friends, please..." said Starfire, stepping between X and Raven. "Red X came to help us again... though he has fought us in the past, and may still be trying to steal in the future, we must at least show him gratitude for assisting us in our fight with Atlas."

__

"Dammit, Star, why do you have to be so freaking nice?" thought Red X, unsure of whether to try and push past Starfire and Raven so that he could escape the Titans. Suddenly, Starfire turned to him, a frown on her face.

"I thank you... but I too must know why you came here," said Starfire. "Please, if you are being forced to be here, do not hesitate to-"

__

"How does she know?" thought Red X, walking back several steps before taking a running leap over Starfire and Raven and dashing past them in the direction of another street. Suddenly, he turned right into an alley, insuring that the Titans wouldn't easily be able to follow him.

"He's getting away!" shouted Robin, his suspicions triggered once again by X making a hasty escape. "We need to-"

"Robin, wait!" Raven shouted, extending her arm in Robin's path. "When Starfire asked if he was being forced to be here... it triggered a response in his mind. A faint response that he tried to hide, but-"

"So... he _is _working for someone?" asked Beast Boy, scratching his head, slightly confused. "But didn't Robin say-"

"If what I sensed is right... then Robin's wrong," said Raven, turning to him. Instead of responding with anger, however, the look on Robin's face became one of sheer curiosity.

"You're sure you sensed a response from him when Starfire said..."

Raven's nod confirmed what Robin had once chosen not to believe... what he had tried to convince himself was an impossibility... Red X wasn't entirely in control of his own actions. Someone, whether by coercion or otherwise, was convincing X to strike more frequently... maybe even coordinating his strikes themselves.

"We should get back to the tower and try to come up with some scenarios," said Robin, walking toward the T-Car as the other Titans followed close behind. _"Even though someone might be telling Red X what to do... I know in my heart he's still a criminal..."_

The Titans got into the car, and Cyborg slowly turned the ignition. Normally, the purr of the engine and the blinking lights and signals on the dashboard would indicate that the car had started... but this time, the car didn't make a sound. Cyborg tried the ignition again... nothing.

"That's weird," said Cyborg, pressing a button on his keychain to pop the disc out of the disc drive. When nothing came out, Cyborg tried the button again. "Guys, the disc is gone..."

"I saw Red X over by the car a few minutes a-" Beast Boy began before Robin practically exploded with anger.

"YOU SAW RED X DOING WHAT?" Robin screamed. Starfire instinctively reached over and pulled him back, her hands grasping his upper arms.

"Calm down, Robin..." said Starfire, but Robin's anger was unstoppable.

"Red X must've took the disc during the fight... I was an idiot to trust him, even for a second!" shouted Robin.

O-O-O

Red X got the disc back to Tekita Refinery in just a few minutes, handing it to Sorel with the same weary reluctance with which he'd given him Beast Boy's feather.

"Excellent work," said Sorel, gripping the disc between his fingers. "Did you have as much trouble with this as you did the feather?"

"What's it to you?" asked Red X. "I got you the disc, that's all that matters."

Instead of frowning at X's rebuke, Sorel smiled. An idea formed in his head... he'd find a way to immediately punish Red X for his smart mouth.

"You know, the day's still young... you wouldn't mind if I gave you another mission, would you?"

That shut Red X up, and rather quickly at that. He waited several seconds before offering a protest.

"But... don't you want me to rest up? I mean, I'm not a machine, you know."

"You should've given me the disc and kept your mouth shut," said Sorel. "I'm sending you on the third mission right now... this time, you'll be going into Titans Tower itself. Inside, there's a magic mirror that belongs to one of the girls... Raven, I believe. Go into her room, get the mirror, and bring it back to me. I don't care if you have to kill all of the Titans to get it, bring me the mirror or your family will pay the price!"

__

"Sanza, why the hell do you have to be such a smartass?" thought Red X.

O-O-O

Beast Boy and Cyborg dealt with Raven's mirror once and barely escaped alive... and that was WITH the help of an army of Ravens! So can Red X possibly hope to collect the mirror and bring it back with his skin intact? AND with an enraged Robin out for his head? The next chapter's going to be more action-packed than a summer full of movies! (well, maybe not THIS summer... cougheighteenweekslumpcough


	9. Mirror, Mirror

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Teen Titans. If I did, this would be on TV and not here.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This doesn't take place in the same storyline as my "Forced Base" and "Fractured Heart" stories, so forget those when you're reading this. Also, this takes place after the fourth season, so anything that happens in the show after that isn't applicable to this. Also, about Sanza/Red X: When he's wearing the mask, he's Red X. When he's not, he's Sanza. Simple as that.

O-O-O

Red X left the Tekita Refinery with another heavy burden. Still tired from having to fight against Atlas alongside the Titans in order to steal their T-Chip, he now had to somehow break into Titans Tower and procure Raven's mirror.

__

"I'd better get started," thought Red X, gazing out across the city at the giant tower that loomed over the horizon, illuminated by the afternoon sun. _"I've got a long way to go."_

O-O-O

Without the use of the T-Car, the Titans were forced to return back to their tower through the air. Eagle Beast Boy carried Cyborg in his claws, Raven carried Robin, and Starfire carried the disabled T-Car on her svelte, yet surprisingly strong shoulders.

"As soon as we get back to the tower, we're going over everything we've collected about Red X," said Robin. "We're not going to stop until we find him!"

"Dude, we've gone over everything we've collected about Red X six times already," said Beast Boy.

"Besides, I can make a new T-Chip... we'll have the car back up and running within an hour," said Cyborg, trying to lighten the mood.

"It's not the car I'm worried about," Robin replied, eliciting an annoyed groan from Cyborg. "What I'm worried about is-"

"That X might strike again and take more of our stuff," said Raven. "I understand your concern... but first we need to figure out why he took the chip."

"That should be obvious," said Cyborg. "It's got a lot of my personal schematics on it, as well as the entire computer system of the T-Car! Anyone who had it would know about the car inside and out."

"So you believe Red X is now trying to capture our personal artifacts?" asked Starfire, carrying the T-Car on her shoulders as if it were a plastic toy. "Whoever is giving him orders must be curious about all of us... and there are many people who would benefit from that kind of knowledge."

As the Titans neared the Tower, Robin continued to ponder X's reasons for taking the T-Chip. Red X had certainly gotten bolder in the last few days... what if he decided to attack the Tower itself?

"We need to put the Tower on extra-security lockdown," said Robin. "If X is interested in stealing our personal possessions, he may decide to pay us a visit."

"Even Red X isn't brash enough to try something like that," said Cyborg. "Coming in on our home turf? Every villain who's done that has gotten a serious butt-whooping."

"That's not going to deter Red X," thought Robin, knowing that the thief had already received his fair share of serious butt-whoopings over the past few days. _"We have to take every precaution we can... X can't be allowed to get the best of us again."_

O-O-O

Red X had hoped to beat the Teen Titans to their tower, but when he reached the shore of the water surrounding the island that the tower rested on, he looked up and saw the Titans flying toward their tower. They'd be inside in less than a minute.

__

"So much for them not bothering me," thought Red X, looking out at the water that separated him from the Titans and their Tower. His suit had a temporary oxygen supply which would enable him to swim underwater for nearly an hour, more than enough time to get to the tower itself... which he hoped had an underwater entrance. "If I try to walk onto that island, I'll meet with more resistance than the Allies at Normandy... _ugh, History class again._"

Shaking his head to rid himself of all Sanza Salazar-esque thoughts, Red X leapt into the water and began swimming underneath its surface. He was a decent swimmer, and the shape and material of the suit only served to enhance his abilities. As he got about fifty feet out, however, he noticed the waters beginning to get choppy... and of course, he noticed the ever-present cold, its effects neutralized only slightly by the suit.

Ignoring the cold, Red X continued to swim, grateful that the current pushed him more toward the tower than out to sea. He looked up briefly out of the water and could see that he was a third of the way to the island, and gaining rapidly. Diving back under the surface, he began to notice that the seafloor underneath him slowly started to come upward, a sure sign that he was nearing land.

__

"This is the easy part..." thought Red X, remembering that he still had to get Raven's mirror inside the tower... no small task with the Titans inside. _"Once I get in the tower, it'll be REALLY easy."_

Red X could feel the adrenaline rush, accompanied by a sense of confidence that came with the cool, calm, collected mindset of a thief. Without that mindset, Red X knew he'd probably go hysterical. After all, he was going inside the Teen Titans' T-Tower to steal one of Raven's possessions... of course, it was simply a mirror, she probably wouldn't miss it much.

__

"She can get a new one at the Walgreens for $7.99," thought Red X, unaware of the great secret that Raven's mirror concealed. By now, he could see the seabed rapidly rising up in front of him. He was almost at the Tower, but wasn't about to climb out onto the island. Instead, he began swimming around, looking for an underwater entrance.

Within just a few minutes of searching, X found one. Two large, metallic gates built into the base of the island underneath the surface of the water. This was were the T-Sub normally exited, and now, it would be where Red X would make his entrance. He swam around to the gates and pressed an X over the center, where both sliding doors met. A wave of electricity from the X forced the doors open, and Red X fell inside, along with water from the sea that quickly rushed in, flooding the room. Once the room was flooded, the doors closed, and X could see the unoccupied T-Sub floating in front of him, ready for use.

__

"Maybe I should just take the sub," Red X thought to himself, briefly floating around the large, flooded chamber and inspecting the marvelous machine. _"It's much bigger than a mirror, and a lot cooler too..."_

But instead, Red X floated toward a large door at the end of the room. The door resembled the locking door of a bank vault, and Red X grabbed the large handle of the door and, with a bit of effort, spun it around until the gate slowly opened, leading to a much smaller chamber. The chamber flooded quickly, and as Red X swam inside, the door closed behind him and the water level in the room slowly decreased until all the water had been drained out. Red X shivered slightly in the room, shaking his body until most of the water was off of his suit.

"That's certainly the hard way to come in," said Red X, placing his hand on the spinning handle of another vault-like door similar to the last one. He turned the handle slightly slower than he'd turned the last one, wondering where exactly in the tower he was. He knew he was somewhere under the main part of the tower, but he had no idea how he'd be getting up. Was there an elevator system, a set of stairs... and would the Titans be waiting for him above? _"Just focus, X. You know what you have to do."_

Red X turned the handle, causing the large door to swing open. The room that lay in front of him seemed to be a kind of massive storeroom for underwater equipment. X could see scuba gear, harpoons, sonic scoping machines, all laid out on shelves and racks that went all the way around the walls of the fairly large room. At the center of the room was a spiraling staircase that went up into the ceiling, but where it led was a complete mystery to Red X.

"Raven didn't leave her little mirror lying in here by some chance, did she?" Red X mumbled to himself as he walked over to the spiral staircase. "Guess I'm going up..."

O-O-O

In the main room of the tower, meanwhile, Cyborg was initiating a Level 3 security sequence for the tower. This meant that all entrances to the tower would be completely locked down and monitored, and pressure, heat, and motion sensors would be activated in the main hallways of the tower. Video cameras began blinking to life... including the camera monitoring the storeroom Red X was currently climbing up out of. It barely missed catching a glimpse of his foot as he swiftly darted up the spiral staircase.

"No sign of X yet, but keep looking," said Robin, flopping down on the couch and intently watching the video feeds on a large television screen.

"Um... where can't I walk again now that the security systems are up?" asked Beast Boy, tiptoeing across to the kitchen.

"Nothing in this room is being monitored by the sensors, but the hallway in front of the bedrooms as well as the hallways leading to the equipment storage areas are all defended by heat and motion detectors," said Robin. "So if X tries to steal any important items from the Tower, we'll know. Right now, I'm watching about half of the Tower covered by security cameras, shifting my views every few seconds to cover the other half of the rooms. The only areas not being watched are the ones X can't steal anything from."

"The hallway just above the underwater storage area, as well as several empty rooms on the second floor of the tower are the only ones uncovered by the cameras," said Raven. "So if X goes anywhere else, Robin will see him."

O-O-O

Red X emerged from the spiral staircase into what seemed to be a long, empty hallway. X didn't remember this hallway from the previous time he'd been in the tower, but it looked identical to most of the others. As he walked away from the staircase, he looked back and up to see a small hanging sign marked 'To T-Sub and Underwater Storage Area'. Then, he turned back around and walked down the hallway, his feet making little noise on the red floor beneath him.

He walked straight until he reached a corner, where he could turn right or walk straight into a dead end. He stopped just shy of the corner, hearing a slight buzzing noise in the nearby hallway.

__

"A camera shifting its view..." thought Red X, remembering the sound from previous encounters with security cameras. _"They're probably monitoring this entire place..."_

Turning to the wall near the corner, the thief placed an X on it, creating a large, X-shaped hole that opened up a path that would allow him to bypass the hallway by walking through the wall itself and detouring through the rooms that lay on the right side of the hall. But as soon as he opened up a path to the next room, he again heard the familiar buzzing sound of a monitoring camera... it appeared X couldn't go anywhere in the tower without being discovered.

__

"If a camera sees me, they'll know I'm here... if I destroy a camera, they'll know I'm here..." thought Red X, his mind racing for another solution. _"If I go below the floor..."_

Red X smiled, placing another X on the floor beneath him and allowing it to open up a hole that led to a seemingly dark, dank room... the basement of the tower. He heard another buzzing noise, and looked down into the hole... the camera was right next to the X-shaped hole, panning across the room but not above to monitor the gap between the camera and the ceiling.

X leapt into the hole, grabbing the metal pole the camera was attached to and positioning his legs so that he was upside down, inbetween the camera and the ceiling and invisible to its seemingly all-seeing electronic eye. He placed a hand on the camera, forming another X that sent an electrical signal through the camera's circuitry, putting it on a perpetual loop. Then, he leapt down into the room, staring straight into the camera's lens.

"Hey Titans," said Red X, taunting the heroes, though the camera was no longer able to see him. He suddenly waved his hand up and down in front of his face. "You can't see me!"

He walked over to the elevator that led up from the basement, remembering what Maddy had told him during her trip to Robin's room. The bedrooms were on the tenth floor of the tower, at the very top. Smiling, Red X took one last look at the camera, then walked into the elevator.

__

"Next time, Titans," thought Red X as the elevator slowly took him up to the top floor, _"build cameras that can't sustain a person's weight."_

O-O-O

The elevator took Red X straight to the tenth floor, but when he got there, he could immediately tell that his navigation of the halls wouldn't be easy. The elevator door opened, and Red X both heard and saw several cameras, rapidly scanning left and right for any sign of an intruder. He closed the elevator door and leapt up to the top of the elevator, using four Xs on his hands and feet to stick to the ceiling so that the camera scanning the elevator wouldn't see him or the open door when it glanced his way. Once the camera looked away again, he dropped down briefly, opened the door, and shot a spray of red gas into the hall. The gas revealed what the thief knew would already be there... motion-detecting lasers, placed in a complex web of patterns to detect any possible movement in the hallway. He also knew that there was probably a temperature sensor as well... which made it a good thing that his gas was at room temperature at all times. He closed the door and leapt back up to the top of the elevator just as the camera looked his way again.

__

"There's no way I can get into Raven's room without being caught," thought Red X, looking down at the floor of the elevator with a sigh. _"What am I talking about... I'm Red X, master thief... there's got to be a way in there."_

He leapt back down into the elevator... with the door closed, there was no danger of the camera seeing him inside. His hands began to glow as he got ready to fire several Xs into the hallway. Slowly, he opened the door... and fired an X at every security camera in the hall.

O-O-O

"Robin, have our security measures detected anything yet?" asked Starfire, peeking over Robin's shoulder to take a glance at the wall of video feeds out in front of him. "Because I do not believe X would come here so soon after stealing Cyborg's chip..."

Starfire was probably right, and Robin turned around to respond, missing a brief shot of Red X's leg as he ran into one of the Titans' bedrooms.

"I'm just trying to play it safe, Star..." said Robin, who didn't want to yell at Starfire, especially when most of her suspicions about Red X's motives had turned out to be correct. "What if he breaks into one of our equipment rooms and steals some of my Bat gadgets, or Cyborg's tech? With that and the suit powering him, he might be unstoppable..."

Beast Boy was eating in the kitchen, and Cyborg and Raven were studying some of Red X's previous battle footage in a computer in another room, leaving Starfire and Robin alone to face the video screen monitoring the Tower's activity.

"Maybe we should've put some cameras in everyone's rooms..." sighed Robin. "I mean, I know everybody wants their privacy, even me, but-"

"You said that the area in front of our rooms was guarded with some of the tower's tightest security," said Starfire, smiling. "If Red X tries to go into any of our rooms, he will be immediately detected, thanks to the security you set up that we do not need at the moment..."

O-O-O

But thanks to Robin's brief distraction, as well as four sticky Xs that enabled him to cling to the walls of the hallway like Spiderman, Red X _had _made it into one of the Titans' rooms... but it wasn't Raven's... it was Starfire's.

X could tell by all the pink and purple that the room belonged to Starfire, who kept her room clean and spotless at all times. With its lovely pink bed, beautiful (and recently repaired) drapes, and tall, well-dusted furniture, the room was nearly as beautiful as Starfire... and though it wasn't the room Red X had intended to visit, he knew he had to take at least a brief look.

__

"Wish I could keep my room like this..." thought Red X, running his gloved hands across Starfire's dresser. He placed his hand on the golden handle of the top drawer... then stopped, lowering his hand to his side. _"Sorel didn't send me to take Starfire's underwear... though if that's the next mission, I wouldn't mind..."_

Starfire's room even smelled better than the rest of the tower... filled with a wonderful fragrance that reminded Red X of flowers and honey, ten times better than his mother's shampoo or his sister's perfume.

__

"I need to get out of here..." thought Red X, walking toward the door. _"I still have a mission to-"_

Red X caught something out of the corner of his eye on the small desk next to Starfire's bed. He walked over to take a look... there, on the center of the desk, was a framed picture of Starfire and Robin together at the local high school's junior prom last spring. Starfire wore a beautiful pink dress, and Robin, clad in a tuxedo, had his hand around her shoulder. Both were smiling... from the exquisite golden frame that the picture was in, X could tell that Starfire cherished it very much.

He picked up the picture and looked even closer at Robin and Starfire... Starfire, of course, was beautiful, and so happy... so happy with Robin. Sighing, Red X set down the picture, and briefly remembered how happy he'd been at the dance with Cleo.

But if Red X loved anyone besides his family, it was Starfire, not Cleo... and he wasn't even sure if his love for Starfire went any further than a lustful crush. So that left Cleo, who currently hated him at the moment...

But what was Red X doing thinking of girls? There was only one girl X needed to think about, and that was Raven... and the matter of getting into her room and taking her mirror. Red X walked over to the door of Starfire's room and opened it up, taking a look out into the hall... and seeing a blinking camera staring straight into his face. The camera didn't have an X on it, either... somehow, in his barrage of Xs that put all the cameras in the hall into a constant loop, he'd missed one of the cameras... and now, he'd been spotted. He stumbled back several steps into Starfire's room, cursing in rage.

"Dammit, how could I have missed that _one _camera?" shouted Red X, clenching his fists and preparing for a fight. "Son of a..."

O-O-O

"Star, I hope you're right about this," said Robin, walking away from a large control chamber in a room just off the main room of the tower. He stepped out of the room and allowed the door to close behind him. "I still think we should at least keep the video monitors on."

"It is a waste of time to watch them... I do not think the Red X would be dumb enough to try and steal from us a second time in one day," said Starfire.

Robin sighed... he was still extremely wary about returning Tower security to its normal settings, but he trusted his teammate Starfire's judgment... she had a calmer head than he did, and she was most likely right about X wanting to avoid a confrontation with the Titans at their tower.

As Robin and Starfire walked down the hallway back to the main room of the tower, they were met by Raven and Cyborg. Raven had a small video disc in her hands, which she gave to Robin.

"He just walked right up to the car and took the disc out," said Cyborg, shaking his head in disbelief. "We were too busy fighting Atlas to even watch the T-Car."

"It's all right," said Starfire, "at that moment, the important thing was stopping Atlas and making sure the town was safe."

"And besides," replied Robin, in a serious tone of voice, "we now know the places where Red X is most likely to strike. It won't happen again."

O-O-O

Red X stared at the camera for several minutes, wondering whether the Titans were blind or just plain lazy.

"They can see me... I'm right here... so why aren't they coming?" said Red X, walking out into the hall before realizing what he was doing. Upon not hearing any alarms, Red X began to get even more confused. "Their security's down... I wonder if they're still even in the tower?"

Running around the corner, Red X walked to the first room on the right and made his way to the door control panel. The doors slid open, revealing a dark, foreboding chamber complete with black furniture and the scariest bed Red X had ever seen.

"This is definitely Raven's room," said X to himself, walking inside and jumping a bit as the door closed behind him. _"If I decorated my room like this, mom would probably warn the school about me... this girl's either got issues, or the Bride of Frankenstein as a decorator. Or both."_

Glancing to his left, X could see a chest-high dresser in front of him, and walked over to it. The dresser was black, and seemed much older and dustier than Starfire's... and on top of the dresser lay a monstrous black object. Red X only needed one look to realize that it was Raven's mirror. He picked it up in his right hand and held it out in front of his face, gazing briefly into his reflective glass surface. The mirror was certainly no eight-dollar drug store mirror... it seemed like something right out of a crypt, and Red X was amazed just to see his own reflection in it.

__

"She certainly doesn't take this Goth thing lightly," thought Red X, inaccurately attaching a school clique stereotype to the mysterious Titan. _"I'd better get this thing back to Sorel quick, before I catch creepy or something."_

But as Red X turned toward the door, the reflective glass surface of the mirror was replaced with a burning red glow that blinded the thief, nearly causing him to drop the mirror.

"WHAT'S GOING ON?" Red X screamed, trying to throw the mirror away from his body. Before he could, several glowing dark hands shot forth from the mirror, grabbing Red X by his neck and dragging him inside. He let out one last scream before he disappeared into the mirror, which then dropped face up on the floor of Raven's room.

O-O-O

A swirling, endless tunnel of blackness... Red X couldn't help but scream as he was dragged through the portal, into the deepest, darkest depths of the abyss that was Raven's mind.

The trip lasted seconds, seconds that seemed like hours to Red X as he fell, continued to fall, hurtling through the darkness until...

Darkness. Then, a light from above, so bright that it could consume all of Red X's being... a light that faded to reveal an ancient, stone ceiling, from which several bright lights were hanging, shining like spotlights into the room below. The room, which Red X discerned was a library from the endless shelves of books stacked nearly to the ceiling, seemed large enough to swallow the thief up as he stood, his legs wobbly at first, his head throbbing as his eyes continued to adjust to the light.

"Where... the hell am I?" said Red X in a bewildered tone that was immediately followed by a loud shushing noise from behind him. He turned around and saw a girl in a yellow cloak staring at him... a familiar girl, too familiar to be real... "Raven?"

"Shh," she said again, looking up from a large book she'd placed on a desk in front of her. "Take whatever books you want, thief, I'm trying to study this one."

Red X hadn't seen the studious side of Raven... only the serious, ferocious, dark, fighting side. Thus, the girl in the yellow cloak, while bearing a resemblance to Raven... was a complete mystery to Red X.

"Where am I?" he asked, an obvious question considering that he didn't have the slightest idea of where he possibly was.

"This is a library, and you need to be quiet," replied the yellow-cloaked Raven, returning to her book. "The exit is around the shelf behind you to your left and straight ahead."

__

"At least I know where the exit to this place is," thought Red X, _"or at least part of this place... but what in the world is Raven doing here? Is that even her?"_

When Red X didn't move, Yellow Raven looked back up at him, an annoyed look on her face. Before she could look back down at her book, Red X stepped forward.

"What are you reading there?" asked Red X, trying to look down at the book. Yellow Raven suddenly picked it up, showing him the cover.

"'The Criminal Mindset', by C. E. Van Doren, Ph. D," read Yellow Raven, placing it back on the table with the cover facing up. "We're trying to figure out why you've been committing all of these crimes lately."

Red X chuckled, stepping back from the table and placing his arms across his chest.

"Kid, you'll never get into my head, no matter how hard you try," said Red X.

"You got into mine," replied Yellow Raven, with no emotion whatsoever, "so it can't be all that hard. Now, if you'll excuse me..."

Yellow Raven returned to her reading, while Red X gasped in surprise. He turned around, looking in all directions at the endless stacks of books surrounding Yellow Raven and her desk. Stumbling backward, he nearly bumped into a shelf before stopping himself and placing his hand to his forehead.

__

"Inside Raven's head?" thought Red X, looking back over at Yellow Raven. _"But how can she be inside her own head? This place is seriously messed up..."_

Remembering Yellow Raven's instructions, Red X ran to his left, around the bookshelf and toward a large, wooden door with a flashing 'EXIT' sign above it.

"No running," said Yellow Raven as Red X dashed out the doors. He ran until he realized that he was on a large, stone precipice... with nothing in front of him but a long, winding path leading out into the darkness. He looked back and saw the library, a beautiful white building with tall, stone pillars... and then back out into the darkness, and the path that lay before him. He stopped at the beginning of the path, wondering whether he should go forward or try to find some sort of map, which he assumed was in the library... then again, the inside of Raven's head sounded like territory that a simple map couldn't possibly hope to decipher.

__

"Guess it's forward then," thought Red X, starting down the dark path. He hadn't taken more than seven steps when he began to see small pairs of red eyes blinking open all around him, made even more prominent by the darkness. "What the..."

"Intruder... intruder..."

Soft, childlike voices began swirling around Red X, seemingly coming out of the eyes themselves.

"Who are you?" Red X shouted, his palms lighting up. "Don't make me warn you twice!"

Out of the darkness came hundreds of tiny ravens, their eyes a fiery crimson, their collective wings making a noise as loud as thunder. They swooped over Red X, some of them pecking at him with their long, sharp beaks. As the cloud of birds swept over Red X, his visibility plummeted, and all he could see was a sea of black, the path disappearing beneath his feet. He began stumbling about, trying to rid himself of the raven swarm, but suddenly, as he stepped to the right, he could no longer feel the ground beneath his feet.

__

"If I fall here, I'm done for!" thought Red X, desperately trying to keep the birds away from him at the same time that he was struggling to keep his balance. But when the storm of birds dissipated, he found himself tumbling off the edge of the path and into the darkness, screaming loudly as he fell.

He closed his eyes, bracing himself for a sickening impact... but instead, he felt a relatively soft landing, accompanied by a loud 'oof!'. When he opened his eyes, he no longer saw darkness or the birds that had been tormenting him... instead, he saw a bright yellow and pink sky, beautiful pink grass... and lovely pink pine trees. For a moment, he thought he might've fallen out of Raven's head and into Starfire's... and the soft, sweet voice that came to his ears next almost confirmed that theory.

"Hey there, it's nice to meet you too, but my back's starting to hurt, so if you could stand up..."

Red X stood up and looked down... and it wasn't Starfire he saw, but Raven, this time clad in a bright pink cloak, her face pressed into the ground. She stood up quickly and brushed herself off, extending her hand.

"My name's Raven, it's nice ta meetcha!" said Pink Raven, a friendly smile on her face. "It'd be a lot nicer if you hadn't landed on me, but still nice nonetheless! You must be Red X... I've heard an awful lot about you!"

"Uh... yeah," said Red X, reluctantly reaching out to shake Pink Raven's hand. _"At least this one's friendlier... maybe she can show me the way out."_

"You know, a lot of my friends think you're a big jerk, but I think that deep down on the inside, you're a pretty nice guy! At least once ya take off that ugly mask you've got on your head..."

Pink Raven reached out to remove Red X's mask, but he quickly shoved her hand away, walking up a hill toward a large grove of trees.

"Hey, where are you goin'?" shouted Pink Raven, disappearing into the ground and reappearing in front of Red X, who leapt back with a slight scream. "I just wanna talk... c'mon!"

"Not interested," said Red X, walking around Pink Raven and continuing toward the trees. _"This place... is like a nightmare. A pink, fluffy, sweet-smelling nightmare from which there is no escape. Screw the mission, I'm getting the hell out of here."_

"I don't think you want to go into those trees," said Pink Raven, her hands on her hips, a smile still on her face. "That's where _she _lives..."

"She who?" asked Red X, turning around and looking into Pink Raven's eyes. "Another one of you freaks?"

Pink Raven giggled, putting her hand over her mouth.

"That's funny... you're almost as funny as Beast Boy! Anyway, you really don't wanna go over there... just trust me on this one, okay?"

"I don't trust any of you," said Red X, turning around and walking back over to the trees. "Unless you've got a quick way out of here..."

"Well, there's always the Forbidden Door," said Pink Raven, pointing up toward a dark path that led away from the pleasant pink grove. When Red X saw the path, it reminded him of his bad experience with the birds... which had gotten him into this mess in the first place. "It's not safe either, but it's a lot safer than the trees."

"Not interested," replied Red X, continuing into the trees. "I'll take my chances."

"Okay, suit yourself, but don't say I didn't warn yaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" squealed Pink Raven, eagerly waving goodbye to Red X as he walked into the pink forest.

The pleasant, pink forest quickly darkened in a hurry... the trees went from pink, to green, to black as Red X continued deeper into the forest, and nearly all the light disappeared.

__

"Maybe Maddy Raven was right about these trees..." thought Red X, his nickname given to the pink-cloaked Raven because she was almost exactly like his sister in demeanor... except for being three times as annoying. "This place is almost as bad as the path..."

Suddenly, Red X could see a dim purple light, flashing off to his left. He turned and thought he could hear the quiet whispers of soul music coming to his ears.

Curious, and a bit afraid of continuing into the darkness, Red X walked toward the flashing lights, noticing the shading of the trees becoming more and more purple as he walked, to match the lights that were pulsating through them. The music got louder and louder, and as Red X continued forward, he could have sworn that it almost sounded like a Barry White album.

__

"What kind of weird place is this?" thought Red X, suddenly entering a large, circular clearing. The purple light seemed to be at its strongest point here, but there was no source in sight... just the light circling and swarming around, almost like it was coming from an invisible disco ball somewhere in the clearing. The music was also at its strongest, loud enough to nearly hurt Red X's ears. Suddenly, as he stepped into the center of the clearing, he heard a loud snap... then, he was hurled skyward. His ankle had been caught in a snare, and it jerked him up, until he was hanging upside down, his head nearly twenty feet above the ground.

"Let me down!" shouted Red X, retracting his wrist blade and reaching up to try and cut the rope around his ankle.

"Ah ah ah... none of that now."

Suddenly, two soft, yet extremely strong hands clasped around his wrists, pushing his blade back into his suit. The rope attached to his ankle was pulled a few feet downward with the extra weight, and Red X could see a pair of bright blue eyes, staring straight into his own.

The eyes belonged to another Raven... in a purple cloak.

"Hey there, handsome."

The rope suddenly snapped, sending Red X and the purple-cloaked Raven plummeting to the ground. Red X landed hard on his back... with the new Raven on top of him, her lips curled in a devilish, lust-filled smile. She removed the hood from her head, allowing her face to be illuminated by the purple light.

Red X was genuinely freaked out, and he kneed Purple Raven hard in the gut, throwing her off of him and quickly getting to his feet, taking several steps backward. Purple Raven stood up as well, looking Red X up and down his body. Red X quickly pointed his palm at Purple Raven, preparing to attack.

"Don't come any closer..." said Red X, backing toward the trees.

"Oooh... are you gonna tie me up like you did to Starfire?" asked Purple Raven, sensually walking toward Red X. "Or are you going to cut off my cloak so you can see my underwear? By the way, they're black..."

__

"Oh God, she's a bigger slut than most of the girls in my school... and I think half of them _are pregnant!" _thought Red X, suddenly slipping on a wet patch of grass and falling on his back again. Before he could stand, Purple Raven was on top of him again, her hands running slowly across the smooth surface of his suit.

"You poor baby, did you get a boo-boo when you fell?" cooed Purple Raven, her fingers beginning to glow with dark energy as they traveled downward... toward Red X's crotch. "Lemme give you a massage and make it feel all better..."

__

"This feels kind of good, actually..." thought Red X, as Purple Raven radiated a soothing, massage-like energy from the tips of her fingers. _"What the hell am I thinking, she's a sick pervert! _Get the hell away from me!"

With a great deal of effort, Red X kicked Purple Raven hard in the knee. She shrieked in pain and rolled off of Red X, allowing him to get up and escape into the dark forest. As he ran, he could hear Purple Raven calling out to him.

"Tell ... that I said hi!" Purple Raven shouted, the name indecipherable to Red X. Whether she said Robin, Beast Boy, Cyborg, Aqualad, hell, even Starfire, it didn't matter to Red X, he just wanted to get away from Purple Raven as fast as humanly possible.

He didn't notice the steep cliff that he was rapidly coming up on... or the ground once again disappearing from under his feet.

"Not agaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaain!" screamed Red X, falling fast into the canyon below. Trying to steady himself, he landed on all fours on soft, sand-like ground in the middle of the canyon, the forest on his left and seemingly flat ground on his right. A river ran alongside the ground in front of him, and the sky seemed to be a red, burnt-out color above his head. _"Well, this isn't so bad..."_

The river traced out a winding line along the bottom of the canyon, and Red X decided to follow it forward to see where it went.

"Hopefully, it goes straight to the exit of this place..." Red X said to himself, slowly walking along the side of the river. While he walked, he recalled the various Ravens he'd met along the way. "Studious, happy, lustful... I thought Raven had only one mood... Emo Chick. Well, you learn something every day, I suppose..."

Red X walked until he reached what seemed like the end of the river... a vast, empty desert with an enormous building in front of him. Again remembering his History class, he recognized the building as looking almost exactly like the ancient Roman Coliseum... tall, white pillars laid out in a beautiful circular fashion, forming an open-air stadium of epic proportions. The building here, however, resembled something closer to the broken-down building of modern times... pillars lay strewn and broken around the structure, and only about half of its seats remained standing. As Red X walked through two broken pillar and onto the main floor of the coliseum itself, he could hear his feet making loud claps across the broken white tile beneath him.

"Guess this must be where all the Ravens come to train..." said Red X, slowly looking around the beautiful, yet broken structure. _"But I'm looking for the exit, not ancient Rome... I need to head back to the canyon and-"_

Red X didn't get to finish his thought. Instead, he saw a flash of green... and then a large rupture in the ground, rapidly moving toward him. He leapt to one side and saw exactly who'd made the crack... a green-cloaked Raven, her hand smashing into the ground in the form of a karate chop. She suddenly looked up at Red X, her fists clenched.

"All right, thief!" shouted Green Raven, her eyes narrowing into angry slits. "Your ass is mine!"

Green Raven leapt up into the air, her leg extended toward Red X's chest as she flew toward him. She landed the powerful kick, causing him to skid along the ground, throwing up dozens of tiles as his body flew all the way back to the side of the Coliseum.

__

"Shit, it's Kung-Fu Action Raven this time," thought Red X, standing up and rubbing his chest. He could see Green Raven rushing toward him, preparing to strike with another deadly kick. He flashed out his palm and fired an X that flew straight toward Green Raven's head... when suddenly, she stopped in mid-air and chopped her hand through it, cleaving it in half. Red X quickly dashed up the side of a broken pillar, leaping off of it and toward Green Raven. She leapt back, and when Red X landed on the ground, fired a blast of dark energy that slammed into his throat and knocked him back down to the ground, grimacing in pain.

"I've had just about enough of you messing with my friends, bub," said Green Raven, jogging in place and throwing punches in the air like a prize fighter. "Yo, Red X, get up!"

Red X slowly peeled himself off the ground, brushing himself off and barely seeing Green Raven rush forward again, her fist aimed straight at his face. Red X leapt into the air, spinning around and landing a kick that slammed straight into the side of Green Raven's skull. She flipped up into the air from the force of the kick before coming back down, landing on her feet.

"Had enough yet?" asked Red X, pointing his palms at Green Raven. Green Raven simply smiled, lowered the hood of her cloak and used her fist to wipe off her cheek.

"You kiddin'? That just got me warmed up," said Green Raven, driving her elbow straight into Red X's gut. Red X doubled over, but saw an opportunity and took it. He grabbed Green Raven's arm and flung her into a pillar, breaking the pillar in two and burying her in rubble.

"Guess you haven't seen my best either," thought Red X, preparing himself for another attack. _"C'mon, I know you're still alive in there..."_

Green Raven was not only alive, she was kicking. She leapt out of the remains of the pillar and back onto the tile of the coliseum before taking another leap off of that and launching a swooping kick at Red X's head. Red X ducked, firing two exploding Xs into Green Raven's chest. The force of the explosion stopped her briefly, but her sheer bravery left her focused on attack, and she jumped up again, her hands grabbing Red X's shoulders and flinging him up, over her back and hard into the ground. The impact knocked the wind out of Red X, who lay on the ground for several seconds, coughing and moaning in pain.

__

"She's as bad as Robin... and just a tad more unstoppable..." thought Red X, trying to think of a way to defeat his green-cloaked foe.

Green Raven stood over Red X, her fingers raised in a 'V for Victory' sign.

"Consider yourself thoroughly owned," said Green Raven excitedly. "HOOWAH!"

__

"That's it..." thought Red X, slowly peeling himself from the ground, his palms aglow with Xynothium energy. He'd realized something about Green Raven... not only was she brave, she was arrogant... and thus susceptible to surprises and cheap tricks, something Red X, as a thief, was extremely skilled at. He pointed his palm up at Green Raven and fired a large X into her chest, which quickly expanded into metal bands like the ones he'd used on Starfire.

"What... what's this?" shouted Green Raven as the X flew backward, taking her with it. "What are you-"

The X slammed into a pillar across the coliseum, quickly hardening and wrapping itself around the pillar, tightening around Green Raven's arms and legs and sticking her tightly in place. Red X stood up and wearily brushed himself off.

"Hey, you can't do this to me!" shouted Green Raven, thrashing wildly against the pillar. "I swear, when I get off here, I'm gonna kick your-"

Another X slapped across Green Raven's mouth, muffling a tirade of swears directed at her victorious opponent. Red X turned around and ran out of the coliseum, forgetting the river and heading straight out into the desert, yelling at the top of his lungs.

"HOW MANY MORE FREAKING RAVENS ARE THERE GONNA BE IN THIS STUPID PLACE!"

O-O-O

By now, the Titans had all converged at the kitchen table, sitting down for a dinner of hamburgers, french fries, pizza, and, for Beast Boy, salad.

It was nice to be able to eat and forget about the problems of crimefighting for a while... especially Red X, whom was becoming a constant fixture in Robin's mind. A delicious hamburger quickly lightened his mood, and the conversation at the table drifted to subjects besides Red X.

"Anybody gonna watch the big college football game tomorrow?" asked Cyborg, looking around at the other Titans seated at the table. "San Andreas Tech vs. Jump City University... and it's gonna be in high-definition!"

"Cyborg, I thought we were going to the Jump City Fall Carnival tomorrow," said Starfire, picking up a large jar of mustard and heaping a generous amount of it onto her slice of pepperoni pizza. "There will be rides, games, a concert... it will truly be wonderful!"

"As long as Red X doesn't come and ruin it," said Robin as soon as he'd finished with his hamburger, which apparently couldn't keep his mind satisfied for very long.

"Robin, I thought you said you weren't going to talk about Red X at the table," said Raven, feeling unusually afraid for some reason. Her voice trembled as she spoke, and the mere thought of Red X almost caused her to scream. _"That's strange..."_

"Yeah, I'm tryin' to eat my salad here," said Beast Boy, diving into his fourth bowl of salad, piled high with extra ranch dressing. "Bad guys and food don't mix, man."

"Raven, what's wrong?" asked Robin, sensing an unusual fear in Raven's tone. "Your voice is trembling..."

"I'm not sure," said Raven, pushing her chair back into the table and walking toward the elevator leading to her room. "But something definitely isn't right here..."

"Whoa, Rae... if you're scared, I can come with you," said Beast Boy, also noticing the worry in Raven's voice. She looked back at Beast Boy and shook her head.

"I'll be fine..." said Raven, trying to keep herself as composed as she could. _"But I still wish one of you _would _come with me..."_

O-O-O

Green Raven's muffled, yet still loud screams alerted nearly all of her fellow Ravens to the scene, and they arrived at the coliseum as quickly as they could.

"Lucky..." muttered Purple Raven, her hands on her hips as she observed her green-cloaked colleague's predicament.

"Heh, the X strikes again!" shouted Pink Raven, clapping her hands together. "Ya really shouldn't have messed with him like that..."

"I got up from my book for this?" asked Yellow Raven, adjusting her glasses. The buzzing of flies alerted all of the Ravens to Orange Raven, dirty, lazy, and unkempt.

"Yo, who cares about this, _Jackass _is on," yawned Orange Raven, smacking a fly that had landed on her arm.

Meanwhile, Green Raven, who'd had just about enough of being bound and gagged, snapped out of her bonds and ripped the X from her face.

"Where is he? I'll break him in two! I'll rip him a new one! I'll-" Green Raven shouted before suddenly gasping, pointing across the horizon to a dark black circle crossing the red sky. "I'll... let her take care of it..."

Even the normally brave Green Raven was afraid of what would soon appear out of the horizon... all of the Ravens were.

"W...w...we should warn him..." whispered the timid Gray Raven, hiding in her cloak. "Just... don't send me!"

O-O-O

Meanwhile, Red X continued to run through the desert, paying little attention to the dark circle in the sky above. All he wanted was to get out of Raven's head and away from her psychotic emotions... another second with them would've been too long.

__

"Remind me... never ever get on Raven's bad side... or her brave side, or her horny side, or even her happy side..." thought Red X, running toward a large mountain that appeared to rise up in the distance. _"Please let that be the exit..."_

Suddenly, the ground in front of Red X lit up with a brilliant flame. He quickly turned around, only to find that the ground behind him had also begun to burn. To his sides... even more fire. Then, everything began to shake violently.

__

"Earthquake... firestorm... THAT'S NOT AN EMOTION!" thought Red X, looking straight up toward the sky, which had suddenly turned black as night... all except for one red star, glowing just above his head. From the star shot a burning jet of orange flame, which Red X was barely able to evade by rolling out of the way. The flames disappeared, and in their place stood yet another Raven, her cloak a horrifying shade of blood red.

"Get... out... of... my... HEAD!" screamed the red-cloaked Raven, a powerful wave of dark energy sweeping forth from her body. Red X put up his hands to block the energy, but it barreled him over with the force of a freight train, knocking him through the ring of fire and flat on the ground. Before he could stand, Red Raven was floating over him. She plummeted toward the ground, her feet slamming into Red X's chest and causing him to let out a loud, breathless gasp.

__

"This is not good..." thought Red X, his eyes wide and horrified under the mask on his face. As Red Raven came down on him again, he rolled out of the way and fired a grappling hook X from his hand that ensnared Red Raven's arms, linking them to X's hand by a long, metallic chain. As he twirled the chain around, Red Raven only smiled, shooting a powerful electric burst through the chain that snapped the links and jolted straight into Red X's body. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!"

Red X collapsed to the ground, his limbs paralyzed and numb. He tasted the familiar metallic bitterness of blood in his mouth... had the electric shock ruptured his stomach? Burst his lungs? Whatever it was, it had rendered him completely helpless.

"Die!" shouted Red Raven, raising her arms and causing the sand to stream up from the ground in the shape of a gigantic, black tornado, powered by the force of Red Raven's incredible magical energy. As Red X tried to stand, the tornado swept over him, picking him up and swirling him around its powerful vortex.

__

"I'm not going down without a fight..." thought Red X, the feeling returning to his arms. He could feel the Xs on his palms gathering up energy for another attack. "YOU WANT SOME OF THIS, HUH? YOU WANT SOME OF THIS? I'LL GIVE YOU EVERYTHING I'VE GOT!"

Dozens of Xs flew out of the tornado, slamming into Red Raven and exploding with impressive force. Some of the Xs morphed into binder cables, while some of them transformed into sticky red goo that sloshed over the red-cloaked demoness, covering her completely from head to toe. The tornado, its source of power disabled, quickly dissipated, dropping a hurt, weary, exhausted Red X to the ground. Red Raven, now reduced to a quivering, motionless mass of cables and goo, dropped to the ground next to him, seemingly incapacitated by the attack.

Red X took one look at the cocoon and breathed a sigh of relief, standing up and weakly limping over to it. He nudged it with his foot, laughing slightly to himself.

"What now, bitch?" taunted Red X, kicking the cocoon, delirious with laughter and relief. "Azarath, metreon, I just kicked your freaking ass, how about th-"

A hand reached forth from the goo, grabbing Red X by the neck and choking him so hard that his breath was instantly cut off, stopping his taunts cold. Then, with a powerful burst of strength, Red Raven flew up from the cocoon, her hand locked around Red X's neck, her eyes aflame with rage.

"You think you can defeat me so easily?" shouted Red Raven, taunting her choking, wheezing captive. "I'm Raven, daughter of Trigon, invincible half-demoness, princess of Hell! I'll make you regret that you were even born! I'LL BURN YOU TO ASHES, AND THEN BURN THE ASHES TO NOTHING!"

Red Raven carried Red X nearly a thousand feet in the air, her fingernails digging into his neck almost hard enough to break his costume. He couldn't speak, couldn't breathe... was too weak to fight back... he didn't stand a chance, and he knew it.

__

"This... this can't be how it ends..."

With one hand clasped around Red X's neck, Red Raven pulled back her other hand, which began burning with a flame darker than any Red X had ever laid eyes on... hotter than the Sun, yet darker than the darkest night... a flame that could incinerate him in seconds.

A single tear slipped out from the crack of Red X's mask.

"Azarath, metreon, zinthos!"

Red Raven screamed. A black energy bird had plunged into her back, and she immediately released her grip on Red X, sending him plummeting to the ground. She turned around... and saw her blue-cloaked twin and mistress staring straight into her eyes.

"You're not supposed to be out," said Raven, her hands aglow with black energy.

Meanwhile, Red X was plummeting to the ground, faster and faster with every second... though Red Raven's fire hadn't killed him, the fall certainly would...

At least until an orange-skinned angel caught him in his arms and whisked him to safety.

"Star...fire?" asked Red X, looking up into the emerald eyes of his beautiful savior.

"Do not be afraid... Raven will take care of everything," Starfire said, her tone gentle and calm, a smile across her lips. "You are safe now."

"You never... let me... have any FUN!" Red Raven shouting, shooting the dark flame she'd intended for Red X straight at Raven's chest. Raven didn't move. Instead, her own hands lit up with energy, and she began absorbing the flame, her teeth clenching as her body sucked up the heat of the blast.

"I also... don't kill anyone... no matter how much you tell me I want to..." said Raven as she increased her outflow of energy, slowly pulling the essence of her anger toward her body. "You will not control me... I will NEVER allow you to hurt anyone!"

Though Red Raven tried to fight the pull of her blue-cloaked twin, Raven's will was far too strong, and she was soon sucked screaming into Raven's body. Raven herself let out a loud cry as she absorbed her anger, and once she'd pulled it in, she floated to the ground, exhausted from having to exert so much effort. She fell to one knee, her hand over her chest.

Meanwhile, Starfire set Red X on the ground neck to Raven, then floated back over to a rock, near which Robin, Beast Boy, and Cyborg were standing.

"What is your PROBLEM?" shouted Robin, storming over to confront Red X. Before he could respond, Raven thrust out her hand, waving him off while keeping her other hand over her heart.

"Please... calm... down," said Raven, finally catching her breath. "We can question him later. Right now, I need to heal him."

Raven gently pressed her hands down on Red X's chest, allowing her healing energy to flow into his body. The energy was soothing, and Red X could feel his wounds being healed the instant that Raven had begun using her powers on him.

Red X looked over to the Titans... Beast Boy, Cyborg, Robin... and Starfire, a look of worry on her face.

"Will he be all right?" asked Starfire, her eyes wide. Raven looked up at her and nodded.

"He took some bad damage in his fight with my anger, but he should be healed in a few moments," said Raven, looking down at Red X. Red X continued gazing at Starfire, not knowing what to say or to think... should he thank the Titans for saving his life?

"We don't owe you anything anymore," Robin said sternly. Red X looked back up at the sky... then, he saw something else that drew his attention far more. A glowing white gate, just in front of the mountain in the distance.

__

"That must be the exit..." thought Red X. By now, most of his wounds were healed... he definitely had enough strength to run to the gate and take the mirror... this crazy, screwed-up mirror back to Sorel. Looking straight into Robin's eyes, he raised his hand, and flipped him the finger. Then, with all of his strength, he shoved Raven away, hard enough to nearly make her fall to the ground.

"What the hell's wrong with you?" shouted Beast Boy, as Red X made a break for the white gate. "Raven saved your life, how dare you push her!"

Robin rushed forward, firing his Batcable at Red X's legs in an attempt to trip him up. Red X did a leaping somersault over the cable, then continued running, the gate just a few feet ahead.

Raven, who had not only saved Red X's life, but had healed him as well, was just as mad as Robin that Red X had so rudely shoved her away. But she dared not show her anger... especially not here, where its effects were magnified and any show of rage could cause Red Raven to get loose again. After spending so much energy absorbing her and healing Red X, she had little left to cage up her anger should it escape.

__

"We'll get you, Red X..." thought Raven, clenching her fist for a split-second. _"And whoever you're working for... there's no way you'd come in here on your own."_

"After him!" shouted Robin, dashing toward Red X as he leapt through the gate. "Don't let him get away!"

While Beast Boy and Cyborg joined Robin in their pursuit, and Raven halfheartedly followed close behind, Starfire simply stood by the rock, her eyes aglow.

__

"Why, Red X?" thought Starfire, lowering her hands to her sides, her eyes returning to normal. _"Why are you so cruel and deceptive one moment, and so... so normal and good the next? Who are you under that mask?"_

O-O-O

Red X emerged from the mirror into Raven's room. He looked down at the mirror and picked it up, remembering that the Titans were still inside.

__

"I've gotta get them out before I take this thing to Sorel..." thought Red X, _"and only hope that they don't catch me before I do..."_

Doing the only thing he could think of, X picked up the mirror... and smashed the glass against Raven's desk. A black flash filled the room, temporarily blinding Red X. When the flash disappeared, X could see the Titans lying in a heap in the center of the room, and the shattered mirror in his hands. He dashed out of the room with the broken mirror in hand, leaving the Titans behind in his wake.

__

"From what I've seen of that place, there's no way in hell he's gonna want the mirror in one piece..." thought Red X, leaping into the elevator and pressing the button to go down to the ground floor. By the time the Titans were able to reach the elevator, X was dashing out of the front door of the tower and leaping into the bay. _"And after I give it to him, I never want to see it again..."_

Red X had the mirror... he'd nearly died to get it, but he had the mirror.

__

"Damn right you don't owe me anything anymore... if anything, I owe you..."

Gratitude certainly wasn't Red X's strong point.

O-O-O

"It's broken," said Sorel, inspecting the mirror Red X had given him.

"It was the only way to get the Titans out," replied Red X, putting up his casual badass thief front, this time with a bit of difficulty.

Sorel looked at the mirror again, his tone becoming impatient.

"Get the Titans... out?" asked Sorel. "What are you-"

"The mirror was apparently a portal into Raven's mind," replied Red X. "You'll thank me for breaking it, because Raven's mind is not a place you want to go."

"...fine," said Sorel. "You got the mirror, and though it's a bit worse for wear, you brought it here to me. Because I didn't specify, you're off the hook."

Red X clenched his fists. He was feeling angry again... ready to punch Sorel right in the mouth.

"Does that mean I get to go?" asked Red X, "or do you have another mission for me?"

If Sorel said yes, Red X was going to punch him, because there was no way he could possibly do another mission... at least until he slept. _If _he could even sleep after what he'd been through.

"Sure," said Sorel, the mirror at his side. "Go home... go home and enjoy yourself. I'll be seeing you soon."

O-O-O

Sanza didn't want to get out of his bed... it was only seven-thirty, the sky had just darkened an hour ago, but Sanza still didn't want to get up... his entire body ached, his head throbbed, and sweat was pouring down his face. Still in only a pair of green boxers, he felt as if his body was burning up.

And if Raven's flame had hit him, he'd be ashes... he'd be completely gone.

Sanza Salazar was alive... shaken, stirred, but alive. And he also knew what he had to do.

He picked up his cell phone from his desk and called Cleo's number. He waited past three rings, then finally heard her wonderful voice.

"Hello?"

"Cleo, I'm sorry... I'm so sorry... if there's anything I can do to make it up to you..."

"Sanza, please," Cleo replied, still sounding slightly angry over the phone. "I..."

"Cleo," Sanza continued, suddenly embarrassed to even be talking to her. "I still want to be your friend, Cleo... you're one of the best, nicest people I know... I-"

"Stop, Sanza, just stop! Sanza, I overreacted a bit, okay? I just don't like people trashing me like that, and to have you do it, and in front of everyone..."

"I know how people have been treating you because of what I said... Cleo, those people are assholes, and if you want me to beat the crap out of them or something-"

A giggle came over the phone... then another.

"Sanza, I told you to stop," said Cleo, trying to keep from laughing. "You know you wouldn't beat up any of my friends anyway... look, how about we go to the Fall Carnival tomorrow, together? I'll meet you in front of your house at eight tomorrow evening, we'll go out and have a good time and forget what happened, okay?"

"...really?" said Sanza, surprised and relieved that Cleo would actually ask him out again.

"Mm-hmm," Cleo replied. "I'll see you tomorrow, Sanza... if you stand me up I'll slap you!"

The phone connection ended, and Sanza flopped down on his bed, his phone clutched in his hands.

__

"Thank you... that's all I needed to hear..."

To dream of Cleo instead of what had happened to him in Raven's mirror... that's all Sanza could've asked for.

O-O-O

Okay, long chapter, and it took eight hours to write because I watched "Hostage" inbetween writing about half of it. (Jack Bauer could've saved everyone in ten minutes... BECAUSE HE'S JACK BAUER, DAMMIT!) Please leave some reviews, I wrote a 10,000-word chapter for you guys, not for me! (Okay, a little for me. )


	10. Girl Trouble

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Teen Titans. If I did, this would be on TV and not here.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This doesn't take place in the same storyline as my "Forced Base" and "Fractured Heart" stories, so forget those when you're reading this. Also, this takes place after the fourth season, so anything that happens in the show after that isn't applicable to this. Also, about Sanza/Red X: When he's wearing the mask, he's Red X. When he's not, he's Sanza. Simple as that.

O-O-O

Aside from the four hours he'd spent in detention in the morning, Sanza had had a pretty good Saturday. He hadn't received a single mission from Sorel, his mother hadn't yelled at him, and even his sister managed to stay on his good side.

Now seated at the kitchen table, Sanza gazed up at the clock on the wall. It was nearly seven, an hour until Cleo would arrive to go with him to the Fall Carnival. Sanza wasn't the only one going to the carnival, Maddy and Sanza's mother were going as well, and at the moment, they were just about to leave.

"Now Sanza," said his mother, watching Maddy to make sure she put on her purple jacket before the two of them went out, "you're not to leave this house until Cleo comes, got it?"

Sanza sighed. He'd been grounded after his fight with Robin a few days ago, but thankfully, his mother had allowed him a reprieve to take Cleo out to the festival. Good thing she didn't know about all those times he'd snuck out as Red X...

"I'm not going anywhere, don't worry," said Sanza, picking up a granola bar from the small plastic basket of them lying on the kitchen table. "You guys have a good time and I'll see both of you there."

"Have fun with your girlfriend, Sanza!" said Maddy, making mock kissing noises as she and her mother walked out the door. "Don't do anything you learned in sex ed class!"

"Maddy!" scolded Sanza's mother as the kitchen door closed behind them. Sanza sighed, taking a bite out of his granola bar and standing up. He looked at the clock... two minutes past seven, leaving him just less than an hour to get ready for his big 'date'.

__

"It... is a date, isn't it?" thought Sanza, throwing the granola bar wrapper in the kitchen wastebasket and running up the stairs toward his room. He was dressed in a black t-shirt and a pair of blue jeans, and though his excursion with Cleo wouldn't be the most fancy outing in the world, he at least felt that he should probably change his shirt. "Maybe a nice sweater or something..."

Sanza walked into his room and walked over to a tall dresser placed against the right wall. Because his room didn't have a closet, he had to keep all of his clothes inside the dresser. Shirts in the top drawer, pants in the second drawer... sometimes it wasn't always easy to find the clothes he wanted.

Sanza opened the top drawer and began thumbing through his folded clothes. T-shirt after t-shirt, stacked almost to the top of the dresser... all of his winter clothes, including his sweaters, were crushed into the bottom. Though it was nearly the middle of fall, Sanza didn't feel like reorganizing his clothes, and wore t-shirts even when it was fifty degrees outside.

As Sanza peeled away the bottom layer of shirts and began thumbing through his sweaters, the cell phone on his desk rang. Immediately, he knew of only one person who could be calling.

"Damn..." muttered Sanza, walking over to his phone. Though it continued to ring, he hesitated before picking it up... the last mission Sorel had sent him on nearly got him killed, and whatever this one was, it was sure to be just as dangerous. _"You have to do this, Sanza... you have to protect your _familia_..."_

But Sanza didn't hear Sorel's voice when he answered the phone. Instead, a much more pleasant sound came to his ear.

"Sanza, it's Cleo... just wanted to call and say I'm coming in fifty minutes, okay?"

With a heavy sigh, Sanza flopped down onto his bed, a smile on his face.

"Yeah... okay, Cleo," said Sanza, wiping his hand across his forehead. "I'm just getting ready now..."

"Oh, you don't have to wear anything fancy... I'm just gonna wear a tanktop, a jacket, and a long skirt... so if you're renting a tux or something, you might wanna cancel on that."

__

"Renting a tux?" thought Sanza, rolling his eyes. _"Who does she think I-"_

Cleo gave a friendly laugh, then continued on.

"Look, tonight just... don't think about what happened a few days ago, okay? I still want to be your friend, and we're going to have a really good time, I know it!"

"Thanks, Cleo," said Sanza, sitting up from the bed and walking over to his drawer. He gently closed it, no longer in need of a sweater. "See you at eight."

Sanza set the phone down on his desk, then walked over to the front of the room and flipped off the light switch, eager to have what would be his first good, fun night in quite a while. No Slade, no Sorel, no Titans... just friends, fun, and a beautiful fall night. He walked out of the room and slowly closed the door behind him.

But just as he got the door about halfway closed, his phone rang again.

__

"That's probably Cleo again," thought Sanza, trying to reassure himself as he walked over to his desk to pick up the phone. But this time, he would have no such good luck. The voice at the other end was Sorel's, and what Sanza thought would be a good night was about to turn into another dangerous mission.

"Good evening, Sanza... I've got another mission for you," said Sorel, his voice unusually casual. Sanza could tell that Sorel had become accustomed to giving the young man orders. "Since I'm in a bit of a hurry, I won't call you down here tonight... I'll give you your mission right over the phone."

Sanza sat down on his bed, his right hand on the phone, his left hand clenched into a fist.

"You are to collect a lock of Starfire's hair... and you are to bring it to me by midnight tonight. Is that clear?"

Sanza nearly dropped the phone, but kept his grip just long enough to mutter his confirmation into the phone.

"Good," said Sorel. "I'll be expecting you soon."

The connection ended, and Sanza threw the phone onto the bed, crying out in rage.

"Can't I just have one peaceful day?" screamed Sanza, wrapping his pillow around his face and screaming obscenities into its cool, all-absorbing fabric. _"I can't take this anymore!"_

Sanza sat up at the side of his bed, his face quickly turning red. He reached up to his face, his hand rubbing downward across his forehead to the bridge of his nose. He began wondering how he would possibly accommodate both his date with Cleo and the difficult task Sorel had handed him.

__

"If I stand up Cleo, she'll never want to see me again..." thought Sanza, _"but if I don't do the mission, my family's lives could be in danger..."_

And on top of that, the very contents of the mission itself... take a lock of Starfire's hair? Certainly that would require engaging her and the other Titans in battle... might even require harming Starfire, who he'd promised himself that he wouldn't injure, at least after what he'd already put her through.

Sanza looked over at the electronic clock on his desk. It was fifteen past seven... Sanza had forty-five minutes to plan out how he could uphold his commitment to Cleo _and _his commitment to protect his family... and maybe even his commitment to Starfire.

O-O-O

Cleo arrived right on time, exactly at eight o'clock as she had said. She walked up a flight of stairs to the front door of the Salazars' apartment, on the second floor of the three-story building where they lived. As soon as she knocked on the door, Sanza opened it up, wearing a green sweater and a pair of jeans. Though he'd decided not to wear his sweater earlier, Sorel's call had changed all that... his Red X suit was concealed underneath his clothes, with his mask in his pocket.

"Hey, Sanza... you're looking pretty sharp tonight, aren't you?" asked Cleo, wrapping her arms around Sanza's back in a warm, friendly hug. "Didn't I tell you not to dress up?"

"_This _is dressing up?" replied Sanza, looking up and down at Cleo, who looked as beautiful as Sanza had ever seen her, in her white tanktop, denim jacket, and sky blue skirt. "You look wonderful, Cleo..."

"You're just saying that, Sanza, I know you are," she said as Sanza stepped out of his house and closed the door behind him. She was smiling, and Sanza was relieved to see that she'd mostly, if not entirely gotten over what had happened a few days earlier. "Well, are we gonna go, or what?"

"Cleo, um... before we get there, I just want to tell you that I have to be back home by eleven, okay?" Sanza said, giving himself one hour from the end of his date with Cleo to go to Titans Tower and take the lock of Starfire's hair, then get it back to Sorel. _"I just hope that's enough time..."_

"Sure, okay..." said Cleo, walking down the steps of the apartment with Sanza. "Your mom have you on punishment or something?"

Sanza began to respond with a nod, but remembered that his mom and Maddy were at the festival themselves, and if Cleo saw them, his lie could be exposed. Quickly thinking of something else to tell Cleo, he came up with the best lie that he could.

"I um... got up kind of early this morning because I had to go to Saturday detention, so I'm just a bit tired is all... I'm sorry," said Sanza, trying to fake a sad frown. Cleo apparently bought it, because she leaned in and kissed Sanza on the cheek.

"That's okay... we'll still have a few hours to have fun, right? We'd better hurry... the festival's down at the pier, which is a ways away... I'll race you there!"

Cleo dashed down the sidewalk as quickly as her legs could carry her, beckoning Sanza to follow. He ran after her, slightly hampered by the effects of wearing his Red X costume under his already bulky sweater and blue jeans.

__

"I can't afford to tire myself out like this already..." thought Sanza, wiping the first few beads of sweat from his face. _"Because if I know the Titans, and I do... I've got one helluva night ahead of me..."_

O-O-O

The carnival took up nearly the entire pier, as it was packed nearly full with all sorts of rides, booths, games, and various attractions. The centerpiece of the carnival was a tall Ferris wheel nearly a hundred feet high, its lights visible in the night for miles around. The carnival itself was free, though all the rides and games required tickets for access, which could be purchased at one of the numerous ticket stands set up throughout the pier.

"It is all so beautiful, is it not?" asked Starfire, as she, Robin, and the other Teen Titans walked around the carnival, gazing at the rides and attractions laid out before them. Robin nodded in agreement, hoping that the festival would take his mind off the events of the past few days, including what had happened inside Raven's mirror.

"It's great, Starfire... I love carnivals, especially the rides," said Robin, walking up to one of the ticket vendors and slapping down a $50 bill. "I'll take 200 tickets, please."

The tickets, sold at a quarter a piece, were handed to Robin, which he then distributed in equal numbers to each of the Teen Titans.

"All right, guys," said Robin as he handed out the tickets, "go out and have fun!"

As Raven, Beast Boy, and Cyborg walked away to enjoy the festivities, Starfire stayed behind, a smile on her face. She too enjoyed the carnival, but she'd enjoy it a lot more if she had a friend along... especially a friend like Robin.

"Robin, may I... may I come along with you?" asked Starfire, her voice laden with excitement. "We shall ride rides, and eat delicious fried food, and perhaps you can win me a prize such a giant fabric-stuffed Earth animal!"

Robin smiled, nodding his head. Like Starfire, he didn't want to enjoy the festival alone, and being with Starfire always made things a bit more pleasant.

"Sure, Starfire... what do you want to do first?"

While the Titans enjoyed the festival, Sanza and Cleo had just arrived at the pier. Sanza's mind, it seemed, was always in two places, and this night would be no exception. While he wanted to have a good time with Cleo, he knew in the back of his mind that before midnight, he'd have to fulfill Sorel's latest mission. He frowned slightly, and Cleo immediately noticed.

"Sanza, are you okay?" asked Cleo, dragging him over to a stand selling sweet, fried pastries known as 'elephant ears'. "C'mon, let's split one of these elephant ears... they're really good and they're completely covered in sugar!"

Sanza walked over to the stand, offering a nervous smile and clutching his forehead. He was starting to get a headache again... maybe something sweet would calm his nerves and ease his pain.

"All right," said Sanza, pulling out his wallet and thumbing through the money he had. _"Seventy dollars... should probably cover a night of fun..."_

When he laid eyes on the girl behind the counter, a young woman with orange hair tied back in a ponytail... a smirk crossed his face. The receptionist from the Xantha Building, now apparently working at the carnival, selling elephant ears.

"Hey," said the girl, a nervous twitch in her voice as she pointed her finger at Sanza. "Don't I... know you from somewhere?"

"Of course not," said Sanza, offering up a smile. _"You saw Red X, not me, remember? Silly girl... _I'll take an elephant ear, please."

Meanwhile, Cleo had her hands on her hips, a jealous sneer across her face.

"Sanza, why would she know you?" asked Cleo, narrowing her eyes. "Is she an ex-girlfriend you never told me about?"

"Oh, c'mon, she's gotta be at least ten years older than me!" said Sanza, handing the girl three dollars as she gave him the large, fried, sugary pastry on a stack of wax paper. _"Besides, I don't date fainters..."_

Sanza and Cleo walked over to a small, wooden table set up by the food stands and began tearing off pieces of the pastry, talking between bites. Already, Sanza was starting to forget about Sorel's mission... even sitting down and talking to Cleo made him forget about a lot of his troubles. Still, he didn't feel the same way around her that he did around someone like Starfire... around Starfire, he felt invigorated, while Cleo just made him feel like he was with any of his other friends, like Rob or Marcy. Cleo was pretty, but... she was no Starfire. She wasn't even in Starfire's league.

And there he was, back thinking about Starfire again. _"This mission's already got me bugging out..."_

"So, Sanza..." said Cleo, shoveling the last piece of the elephant ear into her mouth and talking as she chewed it up. "What do you want to do next?"

"Well..." said Sanza, scanning the entire carnival, his eyes slowly gazing out across the pier, past the game booths and the haunted house, past the giant slide and the Merry-Go-Round and Ferris wheel, past the singing stage where a local rock band was performing...

"Wanna lick my fingers?" Cleo suddenly asked, holding up her sticky, sugar-covered right hand to Sanza's lips. "That elephant ear really got my hand all yucky... and I don't like licking my own fingers in public, so-"

__

"Is she kidding?" asked Sanza, his head slowly leaning in toward Cleo's sugar-covered fingers, waving tantalizingly in front of his face. As he leaned in, he looked past the stage and saw a ride he'd seen while entering the park, a ride he usually didn't go on, but in this case might be absolutely perfect for the occasion. "The Fireball, ooh!"

Cleo turned her head toward her right and saw The Fireball, a large, circular track on which a moving tram did a single loop, going all the way around and turning its riders briefly upside down.

"Uh, Sanza... didn't you tell me you got nauseous on that ride?" asked Cleo, a slightly worried look on her face.

"Cleo, didn't you tell me you got hysterical on that ride?" he replied, smiling. Cleo let out an angry groan and shoved her sticky, sugarcoated fingers into Sanza's mouth before standing up from the table and walking toward the ride.

"Okay, big boy, you wanna go on the Fireball, we'll go on the Fireball," said Cleo, flashing a sly smile as she briskly walked toward the right side of the pier. Sanza got up and followed her, licking some of the excess sugar from his lips.

__

"Maybe I'll forget about Starfire if I throw up..."

Across the carnival from the Fireball stood the bumper car ride. Sitting in a purple car marked with the number '9', in quiet, motionless meditation, was Raven, oblivious to the cars spiraling around her.

__

"Note to self... after this ride, get away from Cyborg and Beast Boy," thought Raven, opening one of her eyes and watching them as their cars repeatedly slammed against one another's. "Azarath, metreon-"

Suddenly, a bright orange car rammed into the side of Raven's car at maximum speed, causing both Raven and the occupant of the orange car to let out a shriek.

The occupant of the orange car was Maddy, and when she saw who she'd hit, she gasped in excitement.

"It's... it's you!" whispered Maddy, one hand over her mouth while her other hand pointed a finger at Raven. "Teen Titan..."

Raven's hands gripped the steering wheel of the car, and for a moment, her teeth clenched in anger, her quiet meditation having been interrupted by an eleven-year-old. Then, she raised her head, looked straight at Maddy... and smiled.

"I'm coming to get you..." said Raven, turning her car around and pointing it in Maddy's direction. Before Maddy could get away, Raven smashed her car into the front of Maddy's vehicle in a head-to-head collision that made Maddy jump several inches out of her seat.

Maddy began to giggle, backing up her car so that she could take another shot at Raven. Before she could, Raven's car was smashed into on both sides by cars driven by her fellow Titans, Beast Boy and Cyborg.

"Get outta the way, Rae, I'm takin' Beast Boy down!" shouted Cyborg, trying to drive his car around the side of Raven's to get at Beast Boy. Raven let out a sigh, backing her car out of the space inbetween Beast Boy and Cyborg, then turning and ramming her car into the back of yet another unsuspecting driver.

__

"This is fun... mindless, idiotic, but still fun," thought Raven, a smile still on her face. _"And no Red X to worry about either..."_

O-O-O

Sanza walked out of the Fireball's exit gate, clutching his stomach with one hand while wrapping his other around Cleo's shoulder.

"Told you you'd get nauseous," said Cleo, leading Sanza over to a nearby trash can. Sanza shook his head, though he was clearly still struggling to keep down his food.

"I'm fine..." said Sanza, wandering over to a row of benches and sitting down, his hand still over his stomach. "Just... just a bit... a bit..."

"A bit nauseous, like I said," replied Cleo, helping Sanza up from the park bench. "C'mon... maybe a nice quiet ride will help... oh, I know, how about that?"

Cleo pointed across the pier to a wooden stairway leading down to the water. A sign above the stairway read 'Tunnel of Love'. Sanza looked over at the sign and smiled, turning back toward Cleo and nudging her with his elbow.

"Sanza, I just thought it'd be a nice, soft ride, that's all..." Cleo said, though she couldn't help but betray her true intentions with a giggle. Sanza stood up and walked with Cleo past several rows of game booths until they reached the stairway, down which several other couples were going, having already thought of the same idea. Cleo and Sanza walked down the stairway together, onto a wooden path that stretched under the pier to an area where a long, enclosed tunnel had been constructed. The line stretched seven couples long, and Sanza and Cleo's arrival made eight.

"It's just a little boat ride under the pier," said Sanza, looking over at the tunnel.

"Which means you won't throw up, duh," replied Cleo, "and if you do throw up, try to aim out of the boat, okay?"

Sanza and Cleo took a step forward as the line shortened, to six couples, then down to five... Sanza looked over at Cleo, who smiled yet again, her face illuminated by the colored lights of the carnival above. Sanza couldn't help but return her smile, knowing that Cleo's willingness to take him on the Tunnel of Love meant that she'd apparently forgiven him completely for the remarks he'd made about her note.

__

"She liked me then, and she still likes me now..." thought Sanza, realizing that Cleo was far too mature to let one petty argument destroy her friendship with him. "Almost there now, Cleo..."

Cleo nodded, her hand briefly reaching over and gripping Sanza's fingers.

"Yeah..."

Meanwhile, the couple behind Sanza and Cleo were also holding hands... they'd just arrived, and when one of them spoke, Sanza couldn't help but listen.

"Robin, this Tunnel of Love... is this what couples do when they go out on a date? Because on my planet, the 'Tunnel of Love' is known as a special cave that houses the Tamaranian mass mating ritual of Glorthex... but perhaps I have said too much already."

Sanza turned his head behind him... and gasped. Standing in line for the Tunnel of Love were Robin and Starfire. _"The Titans are here! But... why?"_

Of course they were here... anyone who was anyone in Jump City, including the Teen Titans, came to the Fall Festival. But to Sanza, seeing them was still a shock... and an incredible stroke of luck.

"Don't worry, Star, the Earth tunnel of love is nothing like that," Robin said with a chuckle. _"Well, mostly nothing like that..."_

"Sanza, what are you looking... oh, the Teen Titans!" said Cleo, excitedly clasping her hands in front of her chest. Noticing Cleo's excitement, Robin and Starfire smiled at her, then at Sanza, who recoiled with an embarrassed smile. "Sanza, didn't you tell me about the time they saved you and Maddy from that crazy magician Mumbo Jumbo?"

"Hey... Sanza, right?" said Robin, extending his hand. "How have you and Maddy been doing, anyway?"

"Uh... just... just fine," replied Sanza, his hand trembling as he reached out to shake hands with Robin. _"Doesn't he know who I am? Doesn't he know I tried to kill him? And Starfire... she has to know who I am, doesn't she?"_

"It is wonderful to see you again!" said Starfire, a friendly smile on her face. "And it seems you have brought a friend... your name is-"

"Cleo," she said, wrapping her arms around Starfire in a friendly hug. The moment seemed surreal to Sanza... Robin and Starfire, the two Teen Titans he'd attacked the very most, completely unable to recognize him as who he really was... Red X, master thief, most famous criminal in the city besides Slade. By now, he and Cleo were next in line for the Tunnel of Love, and the ticket taker was becoming impatient.

"May I see your tickets, please?" asked the man, trying to hurry along the line as quickly as he could. Sanza turned to give the man the tickets for the ride, not wanting to lay eyes on Robin or Starfire... at least not until he was Red X. As Sanza, he was ashamed to even look at them... afraid they'd somehow see his costume through his clothes.

"Sorry... maybe we could meet after the ride for a hamburger or something?" asked Cleo, obviously wanting to talk to the Teen Titans far more than Sanza did.

"Cleo, they're really busy... they probably want to be left alone," said Sanza, already walking toward a small rowboat at the entrance to the tunnel.

"No, friends, we would love to talk to you, right, Robin?" said Starfire, always eager to make new friends. Robin nodded.

"Sure, we can meet up after the ride..." he said, a smile on his face. "Anything for a fan."

__

"Way to go, Cleo..." thought Sanza, climbing into the boat and looking up at her, his nervous tremble quickly returning to him. "There, now hurry up and get into the boat..."

"Geez, Sanza, don't rush me..." said Cleo in a slightly annoyed tone, walking quickly toward the boat. "I was just trying to-"

A loud crash from above, both heard and felt by everyone under the pier, immediately drew Robin and Starfire's attention. Starfire floated up and gasped in horror at what she saw. Cinderblock, one of the Teen Titans' most persistant foes, was slamming his powerful stone fists into the top of the merry-go-round, sending debris crashing down onto the riders below.

"Robin, Cinderblock is attacking!" shouted Starfire. Raven, Beast Boy, and Cyborg, who had been on their way to the shooting gallery, had seen Cinderblock attack as well, and were already rushing into action. With a mighty cry, Robin leapt onto the pier, and he and Starfire quickly made their way to the scene of the battle. Meanwhile, Sanza climbed off the boat as a nervous Cleo leapt into his arms. The ticket taker and the other couples were in full panic mode, several of them leaping off the pathway and taking their chances in the water, while others dashed up the stairs, trying to make their way to the exit of the carnival as soon as they could.

"Sanza, you heard Starfire... Cinderblock is attacking, we've gotta get the hell out of here!"

Now, Sanza had a decision to make... he was wearing his Red X suit, and definitely equipped to help the Titans deal with Cinderblock... but in order to make the change, he'd have to find some way to get away from Cleo, because obviously, she couldn't find out he was Red X. Plus, he still had to get a lock of Starfire's hair... if the Titans were distracted in a fight, he could probably procure it easily.

Another detail complicated Sanza's decision. His mother and sister were attending the carnival... what if Cinderblock went after them? He had to make sure they were safe... he still had a lot of thinking to do. He ran toward the stairs leading up to the top of the pier.

"Sanza, what are you doing?" shouted Cleo, nervously following him.

"Cleo, my family's still here... I have to see if they're all right!" Sanza yelled back. Once he made it to the top of the pier, he looked around... Cinderblock had picked up a food cart, and was heaving it into the Ferris wheel.

The food cart slammed into one of the wheel's spokes, bending it enough to stop the ride and nearly knock off one of the cars. The occupants of the damaged car, an old woman out with her granddaughter, began screaming in terror. Suddenly, their cart became illuminated with a black glow as it was gently lifted off of the Ferris wheel and set down on the ground. Raven appeared next to them, and she helped both the woman and her young granddaughter out of the ride.

Cinderblock was just a short distance from the stairs leading away from the pier, and as he looked down, he could see Sanza and Cleo dashing away from the stairs leading down to the abandoned Tunnel of Love.

"Oh, God!" Cleo screamed fearfully, trying to catch up to Sanza as he dashed toward a screaming crowd of people. "He's looking right at us!"

But instead of attacking Sanza and Cleo, Cinderblock suddenly turned around and walked back toward the center of the park... where all five Teen Titans were waiting.

"All right, Cinderblock... I was having a pretty good day until you showed up," said Robin, removing four cluster bombs from his utility belt. "So don't expect me to show any mercy!"

As Robin threw the bombs at Cinderblock, Starfire flew into the air and bombarded the monster with a hail of Starbolts. Cinderblock staggered back, but was mostly unfazed, reaching over to the stopped Ferris wheel and wrenching loose a large, metallic rod.

"I don't think so, pally!" shouted Cyborg, running past Cinderblock and blasting the monster's arm with blue plasma beams until he dropped the rod. "That's what I'm talking about!"

__

"The Titans can handle him..." thought Sanza, running with Cleo into a crowd of people fleeing for the exit. He looked through the crowd... no sign of his mother or of Maddy... but that was to be expected, as in a crowd of thousands of people, it's nearly impossible to pick out a particular two, and Sanza silently cursed himself for not being able to find them.

"Sanza, look!" shouted Cleo, pointing toward the front of the crowd at a woman and a girl running frantically along with the others. "There they are!"

Sanza peeked his head up... and breathed a sigh of relief. His mother and Maddy were among the people in the crowd who'd nearly made it out of the carnival, just a few feet away from the entrance. _"Thank God, they're almost out..."_

But before anyone in the crowd could reach the gate, an enormous purple blob rose up in front of it, its body covered in glowing, green spots. The hideous sludge monster Plasmus had shown up to block the exit, and as long as it stood in front of the park, no one was getting out. Both Sanza and Cleo screamed in terror.

"NO!" shouted Sanza, his fists clenching in rage. _"Two monsters? You've gotta be kidding me... mom, Maddy, look out!"_

The Titans had heard the roar of Plasmus as well, but they still had Cinderblock to deal with, and he seemed to be giving them as much as they could handle, as he picked up another food cart and threw it at the Titans. It was Beast Boy who stopped the attack this time, transforming into a gorilla and smashing the food cart with his powerful fists.

"We've gotta keep Plasmus from hurting any of those people," said Robin, turning toward the other Titans. "Star, you and Cyborg take on Cinderblock... me, Raven, and Beast Boy will go after Plasmus."

Starfire nodded, charging up two more Starbolts in each of her powerful hand. Meanwhile, the crowd who'd previously been running toward the edge of the pier now became even more panicked, screaming and running off in all directions, trying to take shelter under any of the rides that they could.

"C'mon, Maddy, let's try and find somewhere to hide..." shouted Sanza's mother, taking Maddy by the arm and running toward a large, striped tent between the destroyed merry-go-round and the shooting gallery.

"But what about Sanza, mom?" asked Maddy, trying to look around for any sign of her brother. "Isn't he supposed to be-"

Sanza's mother gasped, releasing her grip on Maddy's arm.

"Maddy... run to the tent and stay there... I'm going to find your brother, all right? No matter what happens, stay in the tent... I promise I'll come back for you," said Sanza's mother, reaching down and kissing her daughter on the forehead. Maddy's lips began to tremble as her mother walked away.

"Mommy... I'm really scared..." Maddy said quietly, too afraid to walk toward the tent like her mother had instructed.

Sanza's mother turned back around, a nervous smile on her face... though she was scared, she knew she had to calm her daughter, and so she slowly walked back over to Maddy, trying to comfort her as best she could.

"It's going to be okay, my daughter.." said Sanza's mother, wrapping Maddy up tightly in her arms, tears coming to her own eyes as she stroked her face against her child's hair. "You're going to be safe, and so is Sanza, I promise you... please, just go to the tent like I asked, okay?"

"Okay..." said Maddy, nodding her head as tears slowly streaked down her face. "I-"

Suddenly, a long, purple tendril of ooze reached out and grabbed Maddy, wrapping around her body from her torso to the bottom of her legs and dragging the trapped, screaming girl over to Plasmus, a sickening smile on the disgusting monster's face.

"MOMMY, HELP ME!" Maddy screamed as Plasmus held her high over its head, preparing to devour the crying Maddy in one disgusting bite. Her mother screamed, her face twisted with anguish.

"Let her go, you sick bastard!" screamed Sanza's mother, tossing her purse at the beast to try and release its grip on her daughter. The purse simply oozed into Plasmus' stomach, disappearing into the purple sludge.

Sanza, who had been watching from another part of the crowd, stood shocked as Plasmus held his sister over its head, and flashbacks from he and Maddy's encounter with Mumbo came roaring back into his mind.

"SHIT!" shouted Sanza, running toward a port-a-potty, knowing that it was now or never that he would have to transform into Red X. _"This is why I became Red X in the first place... this is why I took up the call of duty... if I can't protect my sister now, I don't deserve to be her brother!"_

"Sanza, what are you doing?" shouted Cleo, her hand reaching out to him. "Can't you see that your sister's in-"

"I feel sick!" Sanza yelled, slamming the port-a-potty door closed behind him. As soon as the door was shut, he began ripping off his clothes, pulling the Red X mask out of his pocket. _"Whatever the hell you are, I'm not letting you hurt my sister..."_

With a cry of fright, Cleo ran from the port-a-potty and toward Sanza's mother, who was now hysterical as she watched Plasmus hold her child tantalizingly above its gaping mouth.

"Mrs. Salazar, Mrs. Salazar, Sanza's in the-"

"WHERE IS SANZA?" shouted Sanza's mother, grabbing Cleo tightly by her wrists and hysterically shaking her. "Don't tell me the other one has him!"

The 'other one', Cinderblock, was still dueling Starfire and Cyborg, who literally had their hands full as the monster chucked booths, horses from the merry-go-round, and whatever it could find to throw at the two busy Titans.

"That is enough!" shouted Starfire, punching through a cotton-candy machine, which only resulted in covering the poor Tamaranian girl in the sticky pink and blue confection. It stuck to her hands, her face, and most annoyingly, her hair. "Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh..."

"You don't happen to have a hot-dog machine you could throw, do ya?" shouted Cyborg, running straight for the massive stone beast. "Because if you don't, I've got no more use for you!"

Cyborg reared back his fist and prepared to throw a punch straight at Cinderblock's face. But Cinderblock, enraged and completely out of control, smashed his arm hard into Cyborg's chest, sending the Titan flying straight into the nearby port-a-potty, smashing through the wall and landing inches in front of its only occupant.

"Do you mind?" asked Red X, leaping over Cyborg and making a straight-line dash toward the front of the carnival... and Plasmus. _"Maddy, I'm coming..."_

"Hey!" shouted Cyborg, standing up and pointing his plasma cannon at Red X's back. "You'd better not have anything to do with this, or-"

"Cyborg, assistance..." said Starfire, her voice straining as she struggled to hold back one of Cinderblock's huge fists with both of her hands. She noticed Red X out of the corner of her eye, but right now, the immediate threat was Cinderblock. _"What could he possibly be-"_

Maddy continued to scream as Plasmus held her over its head, its enormous mouth roaring, snarling, and drooling. Completely helpless to escape the beast's deadly grasp, she could only close her eyes and hope that the Teen Titans that she saw playing bumper cars with her would come to her rescue. _"You're my only hope now..."_

And her hopes were answered in the form of an enormous green gorilla, slamming its fists into Plasmus' stomach. Plasmus roared back, not releasing his grip on Maddy. Instead, a torrent of ooze gushed outward from his body, engulfing gorilla Beast Boy and dragging him inside Plasmus' oozing purple form. As Plasmus let out a victorious gurgle, Robin and Raven both ran up to him. Robin had his bo staff extended, while Raven's entire body glowed completely black.

"Let the girl go, Plasmus," said Robin, his tone completely serious. When Plasmus roared again, seemingly to mock the Teen Titans, Robin ran forward... only to be passed by by his arch rival Red X, who had prepared an attack of his own.

Six sharp Xs came flying at Plasmus. Two of them cut off the beast's arms, two cut off its legs, one decapitated him, and the other X slashed through his chest, cutting its entire body in two. As Plasmus collapsed into a puddle of ooze, and a detransformed Beast Boy was flung back over to his friends, Maddy fell out of his arms and began plummeting to the ground. Suddenly, Red X leapt upward, somersaulting over the puddle of purple ooze and sweeping Maddy into his arms, landing just under the sign that marked the entrance of the carnival. When Maddy opened her eyes and looked up, she expected to see one of the Titans... so when she saw Red X, all she could do was gasp... and then smile.

"I didn't know you were one of the Teen Titans..." said Maddy, her arms gently wrapped around Red X's neck. X, now on one knee, had no idea how to respond... he'd just saved his sister's life, but he couldn't respond as Sanza, he couldn't tell Maddy how much he loved her, or how glad he was that she was safe... couldn't remove his mask to show the tears that were forming underneath. Instead, he set Maddy gently down on the ground and took a step back.

"I'm... not a Teen Titan," said Red X, looking down at the still-smiling, still slightly bewildered Maddy. "I'm just here to help."

X couldn't see Plasmus slowly reforming behind him... but Maddy could, and the scared expression on her face was warning enough. Red X turned around... only to have a wave of purple goo wash over his entire body, smothering him underneath.

"Oh no!" Maddy shouted, but Robin, Beast Boy, and Raven were already running forward, ready to fight.

__

"I don't care if he's friend or foe, I don't like seeing Red X anywhere..." thought Robin, pulling a Bat-a-rang from his utility belt. _"But I'm still not going to let Plasmus take him out..."_

Raven was first to attack, raising her arms and taking telekinetic control of several unoccupied booths not yet destroyed by Cinderblock. She flung the booths at Plasmus, splintering them against his body as he reformed. He took a step back and spit Red X back toward the Titans, his suit now covered in green goo.

__

"Disgusting..." thought Red X, shaking the goo off of his body as he rose to his feet. As he stood up, he could see Maddy running past him, away from Plasmus and into her mother's arms, pointing at Red X.

"Mommy, look... there's the guy who saved me!" said Maddy.

__

"Great, now I'm going to have to blow off mom," thought Red X, briefly looking back toward his mother and sister.

"Thank you... for saving my daughter..." Sanza's mother choked out, wiping tears from her face. "If there's anything I can do-"

"Get out of here," Red X replied, rushing forward to join the other Titans in their battle against Plasmus. _"And do it NOW."_

Robin, Raven, and Beast Boy were all focusing their attacks on Plasmus, who, without a source of fresh toxic waste, was unable to gain any strength. Despite this, he was still a formidable foe, and the fact that people were now rushing around Plasmus as they tried to escape the pier only made things even harder.

"Guys, don't use any attacks that might hurt anyone but Plasmus," said Robin, swinging his bo staff at the beast with little effect. "At least not until everybody makes it safely out of the-"

Plasmus, who simply allowed Robin's staff to pass right through his partially liquid body, formed his arm into a scythe-like blade and slashed it downward at Robin, who was barely able to leap away in time.

"Better let me handle this one," said Raven, floating forward and charging up a small dark energy blast. "Azarath, metreon, zinthos!"

The blast, while not Raven's most powerful, still caused more damage to Plasmus than Robin's bo staff did. The monster stumbled back, its body smashing through the sign that marked the entrance to the pier. Fragments of the sign fell to the ground, nearly injuring several people as they ran past.

"Didn't you hear what I said?" asked Robin, a slightly angry look on his face. Clearly, the fact that Red X was back was starting to get to Robin, who knew that the sooner Plasmus and Cinderblock were dealt with, the sooner that they could try and stop Red X... who was now fighting alongside them again.

"Oh, let her have a little fun," shouted Red X, leaping up and blasting Plasmus with an X that expanded to wrap around Plasmus' entire body, then compressed him into a ball about twice the size of a basketball. Red X then ran toward the ball and kicked it high into the air, watching as it soared up into the night sky. _"That was for Maddy..."_

But Red X's attack didn't hold, and Plasmus snapped the X-bands into pieces, transforming into nearly two dozen tendrils that rushed down toward Red X's body. Beast Boy quickly transformed into an albatross, spreading his large wings and allowing Plasmus' sludge tendrils to slam into him instead.

Plasmus quickly reformed, forcing Beast Boy to the ground. Beast Boy transformed back to his humanoid form, where he was barely able to dodge Plasmus' fist as it slammed into the pier just in front of him, throwing hundreds of small wooden splinters into the air.

Another large red X rushed at Plasmus, this time transforming into an enormous blade that sliced through Plasmus from behind, the X cutting him into four separate pieces. In an instant, the pieces reformed, and Plasmus spun around, angrily extending his fists outward at Red X. Red X smiled, firing an X out of each hand, each one anchoring itself into the front of one of Plasmus' fists. Red X leapt back, still holding the chains that kept Plasmus anchored in place.

Robin, realizing an opportunity when he saw it, leapt in front of Red X and hurled a large cluster bomb into Plasmus' face. This time, the bomb exploded in a burst of ice that expanded to cover all of Plasmus' body, freezing him solid.

"Nice work," said Raven quietly, still knowing that Plasmus was only briefly incapacitated... he'd probably break out of the ice any second now.

__

"This is getting me nowhere..." thought Red X, looking behind Plasmus toward the front of the carnival. His mother, Maddy, and Cleo were no longer anywhere to be seen, and X could only assume that they'd left the park. _"I saved Maddy... now I need to be getting closer to Starfire, who's probably fighting the other monster. I'll let the Titans finish off this ugly blob."_

Red X ripped the anchors free from Plasmus' now frozen fists and jumped on top of Robin's head, using him as a platform to bounce over Plasmus and run back into the carnival.

"Where's he going?" asked Beast Boy, watching Red X as he disappeared past the broken-down Ferris wheel.

"My guess would be to find Cinderblock," said Raven, crouching into a fighting stance as the ice around Plasmus began to crack. "He thinks we're done with Plasmus..."

__

"I wouldn't be so sure..." thought Robin, knowing that Cinderblock was currently fighting Starfire and Cyborg. _"He might be after something else entirely... Starfire, be careful..."_

While Red X rushed to the site of the Cinderblock battle, Maddy, Cleo, and Sanza's mother could hear both battles raging... but they weren't looking for a fight, they were looking for Sanza, whom Cleo had last seen dashing into the port-a-potty. When they reached the small metallic chamber, they found it halfway destroyed... and Sanza was completely gone, as well as his clothes, as he had taken off both them and the X suit, then put his clothes back on, under the Red X suit.

"Sanza was here, I saw him!" Cleo shouted. Sanza's mother, still fearing the worst about her son, let out a loud gasp.

"This port-a-potty's destroyed... if you saw Sanza in here, then that must mean-"

"If he was in here when it was destroyed, he'd still be here... or there'd at least be a bit of blood," said Cleo, even holding her nose and looking down into the toilet. "But there's nothing here... so he must've left..."

Red X could see Cinderblock standing behind the Fireball and shielding himself from a barrage of blasts by Starfire and Cyborg. As he ran toward them, Starfire noticed him coming their way, and wondered why he was unaccompanied by Robin and the others.

"Please, tell me... is there any news of-"

"They'll be fine," said Red X, pointing his palm at Cinderblock. "Just came to check on the two of you..."

"Believe me, we'll be just fine!" shouted Cyborg, rushing toward Cinderblock and striking him with a powerful elbow to the chest. Cinderblock roared in pain and walked over to the huge Fireball ride, trying to pry it out of the ground. "Hey, there ain't no way that you're gonna-"

The sound of metal wrenching against stone could be heard as Cinderblock ripped the enormous, fifty-foot tall vertical disc from its moorings and lifted the huge ride over his head. Even Red X was taken aback by the incredible feat of strength, while Starfire gasped and took several steps backward.

__

"This isn't good..." thought Red X, worried that any attack he could make might throw Cinderblock off balance and cause the enormous disc to slam into the pier, possibly destroying it and drowning anyone still on the pier under its enormous weight.

"Yo, careful with that thing!" shouted Cyborg, realizing Cinderblock was about to drop the huge, metallic disc on all three of them.

Channeling her bravery, Starfire flew forward and slammed her fists into Cinderblock's chest. The hard tackle stunned Cinderblock, causing him to throw the huge disc skyward... away from the two Titans and Red X, but still onto the pier... and dangerously close to a few other people.

Cleo was the first to see the shadow, slowly becoming larger and larger under her feet. She looked up... and saw the gigantic loop-the-loop disc plummeting toward her. Maddy and Sanza's mother were a safe distance away, but Cleo was directly underneath it... and no amount of running could save her. She let out a loud scream.

Red X, Cyborg, and Starfire turned toward the scream. Cleo was nearly forty yards away, the disc just seconds away from coming down on top of her. Cyborg and Starfire started to run to save Cleo, but Cinderblock, having recovered from Starfire's tackle, grabbed them and held them tight in his arms. That left only Red X, who ran toward Cleo to push her out of the way before it was too late.

__

"CLEO!" thought Red X as he ran, unable to scream her name for fear of her learning his identity. He could see the shadow of the disc now covering him, but still continued to run, taking a diving leap at Cleo, his arms extended to push her out of the way.

He shoved her hard to the ground, landing on top of her as the huge disc landed just inches away from both of them, making a large crack in the wood of the pier, then falling on its side and smashing a row of booths as it fell. Cleo, gasping for breath, her entire face red with fear, looked up to see her savior lying on top of her, gasping just as hard as she was. Maddy and Sanza's mother ran over to both of them, worried looks on their faces.

"...you saved me..." whispered Cleo as Red X slowly rose to his feet, brushing himself off. Her knee had been skinned in the fall, and her skirt had been torn, but she was otherwise unharmed. "Aren't you that thief who-"

Red X turned toward the three of them, trying to conceal his relief. For the second time that night, he'd saved someone close to him, without any of them realizing who he was.

__

"This is... this is insane..." thought Red X, shaking his head. He looked back behind him... there, in Cinderblock's grasp were Starfire and Cyborg, struggling furiously to escape the crushing bearhug he had on them. X turned back to Cleo and his mother and sister. "I thought I told you to get out of here."

"We're... looking for someone," said Sanza's mother, and X knew instantly who they were talking about. The reason his mother, sister and Cleo were still there... they were all looking for him... looking for Sanza... he had to tell them something, or their lives would still be in danger.

"Did you happen to see anyone with black hair, in a black t-shirt... maybe swearing a lot and throwing up?" asked Cleo.

__

"Hey, I didn't throw up..." thought Red X, _"and thanks for telling my mom I was swearing. _Saw him as he was running out of the port-a-potty. I think he was headed for the entrance... told me that if me and the other Titans didn't save his sister, he'd kick all their asses. I wanted to tell him I'm not a Titan, but-"

"Oh, thank you!" said Sanza's mother, walking over to Red X and trying to give him a hug. Before she could, however, he gently pushed her away, running back toward Cinderblock, Starfire, and Cyborg.

"I don't think he's a Teen Titan, mom..." said Maddy, watching as he leapt up and kicked Cinderblock hard in the head.

"Yeah... he's more like a thief that's stolen a lot of stuff," said Cleo, but Sanza's mother shook her head, knowing that that 'thief' had saved her daughter's life... as well as the life of her son's friend.

"He's a hero to me," replied Sanza's mother, walking toward the entrance of the carnival. Robin, Raven, and Beast Boy were still fighting Plasmus, and during a dull moment in the action, the three quickly ran past, exiting the pier and heading back toward the city. _"Whoever he is..."_

The kick to Cinderblock's head forced him to release Starfire and Cyborg, who stood up as soon as they were dropped to the ground. Cinderblock, his attention now focused on Red X, slammed both of his fists toward him, but Red X leapt out of the way, jumping from the ground to Cinderblock's shoulder and slapping an X over the monster's eyes. Now unable to see, Cinderblock swung his fists back and forth, roaring in frustration. Red X jumped off of the monster's shoulder and took several steps back to avoid its blind rage.

"Now!" shouted Starfire, floating up and blasting the beast's legs and torso with her eye lasers. Cinderblock, now blind and in pain, stumbled back even further, and Cyborg rushed toward him, picking him up and lifting him high into the air.

"Time to take your stone butt out!" shouted Cyborg, slamming Cinderblock hard to the ground on its back. Cinderblock let out a loud groan, weakly trying to peel his battered body back upright.

Red X wouldn't give him the chance. Standing next to the fallen Cinderblock, he fired five Xs that transformed into a thick layer of sticky goo that covered Cinderblock and melded him to the ground. After waiting more than ten seconds with no motion from the lump of goo, Red X smiled under his mask. Cinderblock had been defeated.

"Wonderful... we are victorious!" shouted Starfire, raising her fists into the air. Both she and Cyborg turned to Red X, who remained next to Cinderblock. He wasn't moving... wasn't trying to run... so what exactly was he doing?

Red X looked up at Starfire. He knew what he still had to do. He turned away from Starfire and Cyborg and dashed into the hall of mirrors, a small, blue building off the main road of the carnival, untouched by Cinderblock's attack.

"Where is he going?" asked Starfire, starting to float toward the hall of mirrors before Cyborg's hand touched her on the shoulder.

"Robin and the others are still fighting Plasmus," said Cyborg, gesturing toward the back of the pier. "They might need our help."

Starfire nodded, but as Cyborg ran toward the area where Robin and the others were battling with Plasmus, she turned her head again toward the hall of mirrors, wondering why Red X would enter somewhere that would make it hard for him to escape.

__

"Why did he come here at all...?" thought Starfire, now once again floating toward the hall of mirrors. She took one last look toward the carnival entrance... she could hear the battle against Plasmus raging in the distance... and thought briefly of Robin, and if he might be in danger. _"No, they will be all right without me... I am just going to see what the Red X is up to... that is what Robin would want me to do, I know it!"_

As much as the Titans had fought Plasmus, he still remained as one of their most durable of foes, and as one of their trickiest to beat. Raven's blasts sheared away a piece of him every time they hit, but Plasmus would simply reform, more sludge filling up the piece of his body that Raven had seemingly blasted away.

__

"At least he can't get away bigger," thought Raven, as she dodged a large ball of goo that Plasmus had tossed her way. "Robin, how close are we to getting this guy?"

"Pretty darn close..." said Robin, reaching down and pulling his Batcable from his utility belt. "Hey Plasmus... try some of this!"

Robin launched the Batcable at Plasmus, but to his immense dismay, the monster reached out and grabbed it in his hand, using it to pull Robin slowly toward him. As Robin tried desperately to pull his cable out of Plasmus, it continued tugging him forward, his feet uselessly dragging along beneath him.

"Looks like you could use a little help!" shouted Cyborg, rushing forward and blasting Plasmus in the chest with a burst of energy from his arm cannon. Plasmus, now with a large hole in his chest, let out a shrill scream and tumbled backward, releasing Robin's Batcable and falling to the ground.

"Thanks, Cyborg..." said Robin, as his Batcable retracted back into his utility belt. "I see you guys beat Cinderblock... but where's Starfire?"

Cyborg looked behind him, thinking Starfire had followed him to the battle. When she wasn't there, he turned around and shrugged his shoulders.

"And where's Red X?" asked Beast Boy, noticing that the thief was nowhere in sight as well. "Wasn't he helping you two fight Cinderblock too?"

Robin gasped. Red X and Starfire, both unaccounted for... his worst nightmare, realized again. What if Red X had attacked her while she was alone? What if...

"Robin, look out!"

As Robin turned back toward Plasmus, all he could see was Raven, holding an enormous wall of black energy up in front of the two of them. An enormous wave of purple sludge slammed into Raven's energy wall, causing Raven to stumble back, her wall still standing.

__

"Starfire's in serious danger..." thought Robin, no longer able to concentrate on the fight with Plasmus now that both her and Red X were missing. For a few brief moments, he thought about abandoning the fight to go look for her... but knew that his duty to the team came first. As long as Plasmus was still a threat, he couldn't go anywhere...

"Don't worry, Robin..." said Beast Boy, running toward Plasmus. "We'll beat him quick!"

Beast Boy transformed into a cheetah, leaping into Plasmus and ceasing his assault on Raven's energy barrier. With Plasmus distracted, Raven was able to lower her shield and catch her breath... and while she was doing that, she noticed something out of the corner of her eye.

"Everyone, get out of my way, NOW!" Raven shouted. Robin and Cyborg each leapt to one side of Plasmus, while Beast Boy, who had been chewing on Plasmus' arm, jumped off of him and detransformed, standing next to Robin while Raven lifted into the air and began gathering up her energy. _"I hope I can pull this off..."_

As Raven began her familiar chant, she focused on the fallen Fireball ride, its huge disc still lying off to the right side of the pier. Its metallic frame began glowing with dark energy, and the entire disc lifted slowly up into the air, Raven straining to lift it with her powerful telekinesis.

Plasmus, recovered from Beast Boy's attack, now looked up at Raven. He roared with anger, and he began lunging toward the blue-cloaked Titan.

Raven continued to concentrate, lifting the huge disc over toward Plasmus. Robin, now realizing what Raven was going to do, leapt forward and kicked Plasmus away from her so that she could concentrate on her attack. He then lunged forward and struck Plasmus in the face with another punch, his fist sinking deep into Plasmus' sludge exterior.

"Robin, what are you doing?" shrieked Beast Boy, frantically waving his arms. The disc was now right over both Robin and Plasmus, and Raven, completely focused on keeping it airborne, was about to crush them both. "GET OUT OF THE WAY!"

Robin looked up and let out a cry of terror, desperately trying to wrench his fist away from Plasmus before the disc came down. Suddenly, Raven released her hold, and the disc plummeted to the ground, just as Robin finally managed to pull his arm free from Plasmus' grip. Plasmus dove for Robin, but it was too late. The disc came down on top of him, smashing through both him and the wooden pier below, crashing the mighty Plasmus into the sea along with what was once the carnival's greatest ride, the Fireball.

Raven then dove under the pier through the gaping the disk had made, pulling a sleeping, but otherwise unharmed man from the water, and setting his wet body down on the wooden planks.

"We'll take him to jail later," said Robin, walking past Raven, Cyborg, and Beast Boy without even congratulating Raven for taking down Plasmus. Now that Plasmus was destroyed, there were two things on Robin's mind... finding Starfire and taking Red X down once and for all. "There's some unfinished business I've got to take care of..."

O-O-O

Starfire walked slowly through the hall of mirrors, her image reflected hundreds of times on the tall panes of glass surrounding her. She constantly searched the room for Red X's reflection, but saw only her own, seemingly taunting her as she began to wonder if she was making a fruitless search.

"Please..." Starfire called quietly, trying to get Red X to come to her instead of her having to find him. "I just wish to talk with you..."

Starfire was afraid, if only slightly, as she continued to wander through the narrow passageways that the rows of mirrors provided. Though she knew that Red X had had plenty of chances to hurt her before, even when she was completely helpless... he barely even touched her after carrying her out of the trunk, and only then to reassure her.

But he had harmed Robin... Starfire was still angry at him for that, but she still thought that he hadn't truly wanted to harm Robin... he couldn't be that cruel, he'd saved the Titans' lives before, and was even afraid when he'd nearly been killed inside Raven's mirror. As Starfire caught him in her arms, he almost felt like someone else near and dear to her... carrying Red X almost felt like she was carrying Robin away from danger.

__

"But he is not Robin... he is not a criminal, but he is not Robin either... I have to find out who he really is..."

Red X was also in the hall of mirrors, and could hear Starfire's voice as it bounced off the walls. He couldn't believe his luck... she'd come alone, and she was looking for him.

__

"She wants to talk..." thought Red X, seeing Starfire's reflection in one of the mirrors nearby. He didn't want to hurt Starfire, but he knew what had to be done... and could only hope that she'd forgive him once he'd done it. _"Forgive me... do I really want Starfire's forgiveness? The Titans are my enemies, aren't they? I don't need forgiveness from them..."_

Red X's entire body trembled as he saw Starfire come around the corner. She didn't see him creeping toward her, his body now reflected in nearly every mirror that she could see. Red X leapt up and kicked Starfire hard in the side, slamming her body into the mirror directly behind her. When her body slammed against the mirror, a spiderweb-like crack appeared on its surface, and the sound of the mirror breaking combined with Starfire's scream into one of the most horrible sounds Red X had ever heard. His body still trembling, he walked toward Starfire... only to have her slam her own feet into his chest, sending him flying backwards into the opposite wall, his own body crashing against the mirror on the other side. As he tried to stand, Starfire's eyes lit up with a green glow, and she waited for Red X to get to his feet before she spoke.

"Why did you come here?" Starfire shouted, her voice now lined with anger. "You could have escaped, but you came in here... why?"

"What a stupid question," said Red X, running toward Starfire and leaping into the air, turning around so that his back faced the shattered mirror behind the orange alien. Pressing his feet off of the mirror, he leaped forward before Starfire could turn and grabbed her from behind, his hand clasping over her mouth. "This will only take a second..."

Suddenly, X's blade retracted from his right wrist, while his left hand remained firmly over Starfire's lips. She let out a scream upon seeing the blade, thinking that X was actually going to cut her.

__

"NO!" thought Starfire, letting out another scream as X's blade sliced off a small chunk of her hair. As soon as he'd cut her hair, X released Starfire and leapt back, retracting his blade and tucking the strands of hair into his belt. Letting out a loud, angry scream, Starfire blasted Red X in the chest with a Starbolt, knocking him back into another mirror, which shattered and fell to pieces on the ground behind Red X, who slumped against the frame of the broken mirror, moaning in pain. She pointed her palm out at him, charging another Starbolt in her hand. Immediately, Red X's own palm snapped forward, the X on his hand glowing as brightly as Starfire's eyes were.

For several seconds, neither Starfire nor Red X said anything, their hands still raised toward the other's head, both of them breathing heavily, sweat trickling down their faces, their eyes staring directly into the other's face.

Then Starfire, still angry at X for attacking her, yet willing to speak with him, broke the ice.

"Who... are... you?" Starfire said, breathing between every word. "And why have you attacked us every single day for the past five days? Why did you cut off a piece of my hair, and why did you help us fight Atlas, Cinderblock, and Plasmus?"

It was then that Starfire's eyes began to water, and Red X saw for the first time that though he'd caused Starfire the least physical pain out of any of the Titans, the emotional damage he'd inflicted on her had been far greater. She was confused, scared, and angry... as well as worried about Robin, who had been obsessed with catching Red X to the point where it was starting to take a toll on his health.

"Let us help you... I know, _we _know that you are not entirely doing these things on your own... please, tell us who is forcing you to do these evil things, tell us why you have chosen to do them, tell us and we shall help you... please..."

Part of Red X wanted to tell Starfire everything... wanted to rip off his mask and tell her about his mother, and Maddy, and Slade, and wanted to beg Starfire for forgiveness... and yet the other part, the crafty, deceitful, and sometimes even ruthless criminal part of Red X was telling him to attack Starfire...was telling him to hurt her, to have his way with her...

What he decided to do was a brilliant compromise. He fired an exploding X into the wall of the building, destroying it and sending up a huge cloud of smoke that blinded Starfire and allowed Red X to make his escape, running and running to the side of the pier and leaping off the edge. Once he hit the water, he began to swim... swim until he was sure the Titans couldn't see him, swim all the way to the Tekita Refinery... swim to the end of his mission.

Having heard Starfire's screams and having seen the explosion, Robin and the other Titans rushed toward the Hall of Mirrors... only to see Starfire stumbling out, coughing and covered with dust. Several tears streaked down her face, and Robin immediately ran to her, wrapping his arms around Starfire to comfort her.

"Star... did Red X hurt you?" asked Robin. Starfire paused for a moment, unsure exactly of how to respond. He'd attacked her, yes, he'd caused her pain, yes, but had he hurt her? The pause was enough to tell Robin exactly what he needed to know. _"Bastard... I'll make him pay..."_

"No sign of Red X anywhere..." said Raven, floating over the damaged hall of mirrors. "He must have jumped over the side of the pier..."

Slowly pulling away from Starfire, Robin ran to the closest edge of the pier he could find and gazed out over the surface. He couldn't see Red X, but the thought of him having hurt Starfire and then escaped made Robin nearly explode with rage.

"X!" shouted Robin, almost ready to leap out into the pier after his slippery rival. "I'M GOING TO FIND YOU, AND I'M GONNA PUT YOUR ASS IN JAIL! DO YOU HEAR ME? I'M GOING TO PUT YOU IN JAIL!"

__

"Robin..." thought Starfire, her hand pressed to her lips. Raven floated up to her, placing a hand on the girl's shoulder.

"He'll be fine..." said Raven quietly, trying to comfort her friend, who was about ready to start crying again. "We're going to find out why Red X is doing all of this... don't worry about Robin."

"But right now, he is all I _can_ worry about..." Starfire replied.

O-O-O

After Red X had placed the stands of Starfire's hair into Sorel's hand, he slowly turned away, the hair clutched in his hand.

"Wait," said Red X, unwilling to let Sorel leave without telling him of the ordeal he'd gone through to receive the hair. He'd not only had to attack Starfire, but he had to save Cleo and his sister's lives as well. "I had an unexpected surprise at the pier today."

Sorel turned around... and smiled.

"I see Cinderblock and Plasmus were able to help you gain the hair like I asked," said Sorel. "I knew I was wise to send them."

Red X's blood stopped cold. Sorel... had sent the monsters that had nearly killed the very people he was trying to protect?

"You... did what?" said Red X, his teeth clenched. "You... sent Cinderblock and Plasmus...?"

"That's right," said Sorel, "they were sent to help you out, and like I said-"

"THEY NEARLY KILLED MY FAMILY!" shouted Red X, lunging toward Sorel, consumed by rage. Suddenly, a powerful electrical current shot through Red X's body, stopping him just a few feet away from Sorel. He fell face down to the ground, moaning in pain.

"You attack me again, and it won't be just you getting shocked," said Sorel, turning and walking back toward the elevator at the opposite end of the room. Slowly, Red X rose to his feet, his fists still tightly balled up.

"You... if you or anyone you send EVER touches my family again... I don't care who or why, I will destroy you... do you hear me?"

Without a word, Sorel got into the elevator.

"DO YOU HEAR ME?" screamed Red X, pounding on the glass tube as it carried Sorel up to the next level of the building. "DAMMIT!"

Red X collapsed to the ground, removing his mask and hurling it to the floor. His gloved hands flew to his face as he knelt on the ground, fighting back tears.

__

"I'm doing everything the bastard tells me to do, and he still _can't guarantee my family's safety?" _thought Sanza, pounding both of his fists on the ground. _"Sooner or later, I'm just going to have to take matters into my own hands..."_

O-O-O

And sooner or later, I had to stop writing. Long chapter again, I know... but again, thanks for the reviews, everyone! I write for you as well as myself, so as long as you're reading (over 800 hits!) I'll be happy..


	11. For All Have Sinned In The Eyes Of God

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Teen Titans. If I did, this would be on TV and not here.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This doesn't take place in the same storyline as my "Forced Base" and "Fractured Heart" stories, so forget those when you're reading this. Also, this takes place after the fourth season, so anything that happens in the show after that isn't applicable to this. Also, about Sanza/Red X: When he's wearing the mask, he's Red X. When he's not, he's Sanza. Simple as that.

O-O-O

"In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It has been seven days since my last confession."

Sanza sat in the confessional, his elbows resting on his knees, his eyes staring into the metallic grate to his left. On the other site of the grate was a man with grayish-white hair, light-brown skin, and a calm, gentle spirit, a man whose tone suggested a close relationship with God.

"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," said Father Abeula, sitting on the other side of the booth and awaiting Sanza's latest confession. "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."

Besides Slade and Sorel, only Father Abuela knew of Sanza's double life... his secret identity as Red X. From almost the very beginning, Sanza had decided that he would divulge his crimes during Confessional... the priest's oath of secrecy would keep Sanza's confession completely confidential.

Where would Sanza begin? It seemed that this week, he'd committed far more crimes... far more sins than he had in any previous time between confessions. He'd been violent toward others, he'd stolen property, and he'd been lustful... especially lustful of Starfire, whose forgiveness sometimes mattered more to Sanza than that of God himself.

__

"Making a false idol of Starfire..." thought Sanza with a sigh. _"Another sin..."_

"The news tells me of the crimes committed by the one known as Red X," said the priest, "but his crimes are your sins, and you must confess them here."

"I understand, Father," said Sanza, making the Sign of the Cross on his chest. "I... I've caused great harm to someone through my sins, and I wish to confess these sins first, as I believe them to be the most severe."

"Is it a person close to you?" asked the priest.

Again, Sanza wasn't sure how to respond. There were times it seemed that Starfire was close to Sanza, a constant presence in his heart and mind... but other times, like yesterday in the hall of mirrors, when they were almost ready to blow each other to pieces, that she seemed farther away than anyone else in the world.

"Yes..." said Sanza, a hint of regret in his voice. "Starfire, one of the Teen Titans. During a fight... well, several fights, actually... she was hurt... I took her."

"Took her... how?" asked the priest, retaining the same fatherly, forgiving tone in his voice despite the gravity of Sanza's words.

"Kidnapped her, for several hours," said Sanza, shaking his head. He couldn't believe he was confessing something like this to the priest... again, he had to mentally remind himself of the secrecy of the confession booth. "During that time, I... committed the sin of lust, which almost caused me to..."

"I see," said the priest, his hand reaching up and brushing across his forehead.

Ever since Sanza had confessed to him about the secret of the Red X suit, Father Abuela's sessions with Sanza had been radically different. Not only was Sanza confessing sins, he was confessing actual _crimes_... the fact that Sanza had yet to actually kill or seriously hurt anyone didn't change the fact that the priest was still dealing with a very serious situation. He knew his oath of secrecy was sacred, but he also knew that Red X was a criminal wanted all over the city, a thief who had attacked the Teen Titans and others on numerous occasions.

"I didn't... I was able to restrain my lust enough to keep from doing anything harmful to her, and I let her go after a while, but I think she's still pretty shaken up about the whole thing, and I can hear God telling me that I really hurt Starfire pretty badly," said Sanza, still wondering if it was really God or just his own feelings for Starfire making him feel so bad about what he did... or if it was a combination of both.

"Continue," said the priest, expecting several more confessions of crimes to escape from Sanza's lips. Though he certainly couldn't condone Sanza's criminal actions, he did appreciate Sanza's honesty, when it could have been so easy to conceal such sins without Father Abuela ever finding out. Despite this, he knew that Sanza's continued commission of sin was an indication that Sanza wasn't truly repentant... at least from what he could tell.

Sanza continued to confess his other crimes, his attack of the Xantha Building, his theft of Raven's mirror from Titans Tower... but the one thing he didn't mention was Slade, the man who'd ordered Sanza to do many of the criminal things he'd been doing over the past week. The mention of Slade, Sanza knew, might put Father Abuela's life in danger... and Sanza had endangered enough of the people he cared about as it is.

After nearly a half-hour in the confessional booth, Sanza had confessed all of the sins he could remember.

"Sanza," said Father Abuela, speaking with as forgiving a tone as he could, yet at the same time being stern enough to let Sanza know that his actions were still sinful in the eyes of God, "I have told you time and time again that the life you are leading... this life of Red X, it cannot continue if you are to be truly repentant of your sins. God is always watching you, and while he knows that you may have good intentions for your double life, the actions you commit are sinful and will condemn you to eternity in Hell if you are not truly repentant. Do you understand me?"

"Yes, Father," replied Sanza.

"As penance for this week's sins, I want you to memorize the first ten chapters of the Gospel of Luke. Perhaps while you are doing this, you will allow the light of God to flow inside of you and you will no longer feel the urge to sin. I will expect you back here in a week to recite these verses to me."

Sanza again replied with a nod, while at the same time slightly annoyed that he'd have to spend several hours studying Bible verses. He'd come to his decision to confess his actions as Red X in order to justify his actions somewhat with God, who Sanza still feared and respected despite his distaste for authority. Sanza was the kind of person who'd pour his heart out to Father Abuela on Sunday, then turn around and eat two Big Macs on a Friday, a serious no-no to virtually all followers of the Catholic faith.

"Do you wish to offer a prayer of contrition?" asked the priest.

"I do," replied Sanza, who closed his eyes and clasped his hands in front of him, bowing his head and beginning his prayer. "Lord, know that I have sinned, and know that I am deeply sorry for these offenses which I've committed against You. Know also that I am eternally thankful for Your mercy and grace, and for the sacrifice You made of Your son on the cross which allows me to have the forgiveness that I do not deserve. In the name of Your son and the Holy Spirit, Amen."

"You have God's forgiveness and that of the church, my son. Go in God's peace. Amen," said the priest, as Sanza made one last Sign of the Cross on his chest.

O-O-O

On the car ride back from the church to Sanza's apartment, his mind drifted away from the week's confession and back to his continued encounters with the Teen Titans. So far, he'd taken an item from Cyborg, an item from Beast Boy, and item from Raven, and an item from Starfire.

That left Robin... unless his kidnapping of Starfire a few days ago counted. Sanza didn't think that it did... which left him with one mission left to complete for Sorel before he'd start receiving his formal training from Slade.

__

"Once I do this last mission... I'll be Slade's apprentice," thought Sanza, briefly gazing out the window at the buildings of the city as they rushed by. _"Then the real bad stuff begins..."_

"So, Sanza..." asked Mrs. Salazar, smiling back at her son from the driver's seat. While she drove the car, Sanza and Maddy sat in the back to avoid any fights about who got to sit in the front seat... a tough but fair system. "What penance did the priest assign to you this week?"

"First ten chapters of Luke," said Sanza, rolling his eyes. Maddy, in the seat next to Sanza, let out a gasp, her eyes opening wide.

"You... you gotta memorize ten whole chapters of the Bible?" asked Maddy, her hand pressed to her lips. "Mom, I think Sanza might have killed somebody!"

"Yes, that is quite a bit to memorize... Sanza, you told the priest about the fight you got into this week, and the two days you spent in detention, didn't you?" asked Sanza's mother.

__

"Actually, I forgot about the detention..." thought Sanza, knowing that two days in detention paled in comparison to the crimes he'd committed as Red X. He told his priest, but he couldn't bring himself to tell his own family... of course, he could still protect them, which he'd done last night when he'd rescued Maddy from the clutches of Plasmus. "Yeah, and I guess he doesn't like me fighting either..."

"He doesn't want you fighting any more than I do," said Sanza's mother, turning a corner onto the street in front of the Salazars' house. "He's known you ever since you were an infant, and he really cares about you. Remember that the next time you're tempted to get into a fight."

"I only had to say two Hail Marys, and I was done!" said Maddy with a proud smile. "I've been a good girl this week!"

Sanza rolled his eyes again as the car parked on the street just in front of the Salazars' apartment building. _Maddy's as annoying as ever... but I'm glad she's safe._

He still hadn't forgotten about the fact that the monsters sent by Sorel had put the lives of both Sanza's mother and sister, as well as the life of Cleo, one of Sanza's best friends, in danger. He was nearly ready to attack Sorel... but he feared the retribution that it might bring on his family.

__

"Just one more mission..." thought Sanza, climbing out of the car and up the steps of the fire escape toward the second floor entrance of the building. _"One more mission, and I'll never have to deal with Sorel again..."_

For the first time, Sanza was actually eager to receive his next mission.

O-O-O

Though Sanza had been to the Tekita Refinery numerous times, he had yet to see anything past the circular room of elevators near the center of the large disc that made up the vast majority of the building's enormous volume.

Seven of the room's eight elevators led to the top or bottom floors of the disc, containing many of the refinery's huge production rooms, where steel was melted and manipulated into beams, working parts, or machinery, all of it integral to the building of Slade's vast new empire.

Slade himself conducted his operations from the central tower, which could only be accessed by the eighth elevator in the circular room. This elevator, which Sorel disappeared into after many of his encounters with Sanza, led only into the tower itself. At the very top of the tower, hundreds of feet above the disc at the bottom of the building, was a large, open chamber, a dark room with hundreds of monitors watching everything that went on inside the building, as well as everything else that Slade liked to watch... including all of Red X's recent battles with the Titans. Sitting at his desk, he could turn away from the door to face the monitors at the back of the room... or he could turn around and face the door and whoever walked through it.

At this moment, that person was Sorel, who had been summoned by Slade to address the recent incident at the carnival.

"Red X is coming along nicely..." Slade began, both of his elbows on the large desk in front of him. "You're doing a good job."

"Thank you, sir... I'm just about ready to give him the final mission," said Sorel, bowing slightly to Slade as he spoke. "Still the same one that you told me to give him earlier?"

"The same," said Slade, his tone of voice changing slightly. Instead of being congratulatory and slightly laid-back, his voice became far more serious, and Sorel immediately knew that he hadn't done as good of a job as he'd previously thought. "One... minor problem. You told Cinderblock and Plasmus not to attack Sanza until he'd become Red X... that was good. However, on one occasion, the monster Plasmus attacked Sanza's sister Maddy. You know that if something happens to her, we _lose _Sanza as a potential apprentice... and you fail your mission."

"I... I had no idea that Plasmus would attack Maddy out of all of those other-"

"All you had to do was tell him to stay away from the girl, but instead, you jeopardized this mission by allowing her to nearly come into harm. I also understand that Sanza nearly attacked you for the very same reason," said Slade. "Sanza's family is not to be harmed unless he intentionally deviates wildly from the mission plan set down for him. We increase the threat to his family little by little, not all at once. I have authorized you to take any means necessary to ensure his obedience... but I cannot be responsible for what happens if you push him too far, do we have an understanding?"

Sorel was fully aware of what Slade meant. If something happened to Sanza's family that would cause him to attack Sorel, Slade wouldn't take action to protect him... not much of a threat, considering Sorel was pretty sure he could handle Sanza, even as Red X, by himself.

"Sir, the final mission will proceed as planned... without flaw," said Sorel, bowing to Slade yet again. "And once he's finished, I will turn him over to you."

"And then your job will be done," replied Slade. "Until then, I expect nothing but success... remember, until Sanza completes the final mission, he is your responsibility, and yours alone. Do not mess this up so close to the goal."

Even Slade could begin to taste it... Sanza... Red X... was about to become his third apprentice. And this time, Slade was going to do it right. No mistakes... no disobedience. Like with Terra, he had someone with no real sense of justice... someone who blurred the line between good and evil. And like with Robin, he had bargaining chips that he could use to control his apprentice until his obedience could be ensured without them.

The perfect apprentice... the third time would be a charm.

O-O-O

After lunch, Sanza retired to his room and stretched out on his bed, his body both tired from fatigue and tired at having to wake up early for Mass. He knew he'd be receiving his mission from Sorel sometime that day, so he decided to wait for it without making any other plans. Sanza had every reason to believe that Sorel's fifth mission would be his last... he'd taken something from all of the Titans except for Robin, and logically, would be given an assignment concerning the Boy Wonder.

He briefly thought about studying the Bible verses he'd have to learn, but he knew that if he started them early, he'd just forget them before Sunday anyway.

__

"I need to get all the rest I can before Sorel gives me the final mission... I'm most likely going to be fighting Robin again, and I'll need all the strength I can get."

The last mission, while not nearly as physically trying as stealing Raven's mirror, still took quite the emotional toll on Sanza. Both his sister and Cleo had been threatened, and in order to get the lock of Starfire's hair, he'd had to hurt her again... he still remembered her words before he'd escaped from the hall of mirrors.

She'd told him that she wanted to help him... _him_, Red X, who just seconds before had scared her nearly to death. After all that, she still wanted to help him... and she knew that someone was controlling his actions.

But she didn't know who... didn't know that it was Slade.

__

"If only I had some way to let them know... some way to tell them I'm being controlled without my family being put in even more danger..."

But that would mean getting the Titans' help... and Sanza didn't need the Titans' help... Red X didn't need the Titans' help. Sanza could protect his family on his own... if he got the Teen Titans' help, it would be just like the time when the Titans saved Maddy's life from Mumbo Jumbo. It would be another case of Sanza being too weak and having to have the Teen Titans come to the rescue... and he'd already promised himself that that would never happen again.

Sanza was tired... so tired that he nearly fell asleep... until he heard a loud knock at his window.

Sanza climbed out of bed and rubbed his eyes, expecting to see Sorel, or even his friend Rob, who occasionally would come up to Sanza's window to say 'hi'.

Instead, it was someone who Sanza hadn't seen since last night at the carnival... since he'd saved her life. It was Cleo, and though she obviously didn't know what Sanza had done, she still had a smile on her face, excited and somewhat relieved to see Sanza again. As soon as he opened the window, Cleo climbed inside and wrapped her arms tightly around Sanza's arms and chest.

"Sanza, last night was... was..."

"Was hell, I know," said Sanza, his voice strained by the force of Cleo's hug. As she pulled away, he continued to speak. "Those damn monsters showed up and ruined our whole night... I'm just glad you and Maddy and my mom are safe..."

"Red X told me about how you said that if he didn't save your sister, you'd kick his ass," said Cleo, giggling slightly. "You know that he saved my life too, right?"

Of course, Sanza knew... but the Sanza that Cleo knew, the Sanza who'd ran off long before Red X saved Cleo's life couldn't have possibly known. Quickly, Sanza shook his head.

"What happened?" asked Sanza, feigning ignorance as he and Cleo sat down on the side of his bed. Cleo, her voice getting more and more excited by the second, seemed completely overeager to tell Sanza her amazing story.

"He and the Titans were apparently fighting against this big monster... some stone statue or something, anyway, it knocks over one of the rides, and it would have fallen on me if Red X hadn't pushed me out of the way just in the nick of time! See, look, I've got this scab on my knee to prove it..."

Cleo lifted up her pant leg to show Sanza the scab from the wound she'd sustained when Red X pushed her to the ground.

"That must've hurt," said Sanza, fighting off the urge to tell Cleo the truth... that he was Red X, and that he was the one who'd saved her life.

"It did, but if it wasn't for Red X, I'd be dead..." said Cleo, her excited smile quickly turning into a frown. "If he hadn't pushed me out of the way when he did..."

"Cleo, I'm really sorry I ran off," said Sanza, reaching over and taking Cleo's hand. "I left you guys when you were still in danger, and-"

"You knew Red X would protect us... you trusted him, and he didn't let you down," said Cleo, gripping tightly on Sanza's hand. "I'm sure he protected us because of what you told him..."

"But I told him to protect Maddy," said Sanza, "he saved you probably because it was convenient..."

Of course, it wasn't convenient at all. Red X had nearly been killed himself saving Cleo, and it would've been much safer if he'd stayed to help the Titans in their fight with Cinderblock. Sanza rescued Cleo because he cared about her... at least as a friend.

"Anyway," continued Sanza, "Our date turned out to be a nightmare that nearly cost all of us our lives, and I'm-"

But before Sanza could say anything else, Cleo's lips pressed into his own, her hands pushing his chest until he was down on the bed. Sanza didn't fight Cleo as she continued to kiss him for nearly five seconds before finally letting up and sitting over him, waiting for him to catch his breath.

"We should go out again," said Cleo, "like next weekend sometime. Maybe we won't get attacked by bad guys, maybe we will... but at least I know I like you again."

"Even if I'm a pathetic coward?" gasped Sanza, still looking up at Cleo as he lay on top of his bed. She giggled, then leaned down and kissed him on the lips again.

"Next time, you can fight the big monsters, okay?"

Sanza nodded, and tried to sit up, glad that Cleo didn't think Sanza Salazar was a complete coward even though Red X had been the one to save her. As he tried to sit up, Cleo suddenly grabbed Sanza's wrists and held them down on the bed, above his head. Before he could say something to protest, her lips were back on his again, her tongue slowly slipping down into his mouth. Sanza leaned his head slightly up against Cleo's, his arms only slightly thrashing as Cleo continued to hold them above his head.

__

"She sure forgave me really quickly..." thought Sanza, gasping as Cleo pulled her lips away from his.

"You remind me of someone, Sanza Salazar..." Cleo whispered, though she still couldn't make the connection between Sanza and Red X.

"Who?" Sanza replied, Cleo still holding his arms down to the bed. "Who do I remind you-"

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door, and a woman's voice at the other end. Almost immediately, Cleo leapt up from Sanza's bed and ran to the window, opening it up and blowing him a kiss.

"I'll call you tomorrow, okay?" said Cleo, taking one last look at Sanza before she ran down the fire escape. Sanza sat up on his bed just as his mother opened the door and walked inside.

"What was that noise, Sanza?" asked his mother, walking over to the window and looking outside. As she did, Sanza wiped a few beads of sweat from his face, positioning himself on the bed so that he was facing the window. By now, Cleo was already down the fire escape and on the sidewalk, just out of Sanza's mother's view. "I thought I heard someone in here..."

"Mom, I was practicing," said Sanza, pointing to a small punching bag that was hanging in the corner of the room.

"That didn't sound like no punching to me, Sanza..." replied his mother, her hands on her hips as she turned back to her son. "Are you hiding someone in here?"

As his mother started to peek under the bed, Sanza went into a brief panic mode, interposing himself between his mother and the secret that lay just out of her reach. "_I really should keep that costume_ _somewhere else..."_

Sanza's mother started to nudge her son out of the way, but decided at the last moment that discretion was the better part of valor, and walked over to the door.

"Practicing for what, Sanza?" asked his mother, suddenly turning toward the punching bag. "You're not planning on getting in another fight, are you?"

"Maybe, maybe not," said Sanza, sitting back down on the side of his bed. "But it's either that bag or the wall, so you're not going to stop me from practicing by taking it away..."

Sanza's mother, quite familiar with sarcastic half-threats and remarks from her son, took a punch at the cylindrical foam bag herself, making a loud 'thump' as her small fist struck its padded surface. Then she turned back to him, a concerned look on her face.

"Sometimes I wonder why I even let you take those karate and boxing lessons when you were little," sighed Sanza's mother. "I thought that if you knew how to defend yourself, you wouldn't have to get into any fights like your father did... but I guess it's just gone and made you want to fight even more..."

"You know I wouldn't get into a fight unless I had a good reason."

"There's _never _a good reason to get into a fight, Sanza!" snapped his mother, walking toward Sanza so that her words became louder, and thus, clearer.

"What about the fight father had to save _you_?" asked Sanza, suddenly causing his mother to take a step back.

The story of how Sanza's mother and father met was very dramatic, and part of the reason she'd fallen so madly in love with him is that the early part of their relationship was filled with excitement. Twenty years ago, Sanza's mother had been kidnapped by a gang that at the time was one of Sanza's father's gang's fiercest rivals. In a raid on the headquarters of the gang, Sanza's father had rescued his future bride, and after that, the two were inseparable. Though it was the gang that had brought Sanza's father and mother together, the love of the two was the reason that Sanza's father had eventually tried to extricate himself from the gang lifestyle.

"That was... that was different," said Sanza's mother. "And even then, your father and his gang originally just came to burn the building down... it was by sheer coincidence that he found me in that room..."

"And he also found the four guys that were guarding you," replied Sanza. "He didn't have to fight them to save you, but he did, and-"

"That's way different, and you know it, Sanza!" shouted his mother, though Sanza knew that most of the fighting he was doing now was for the exact same reason... to protect a life. "Please, just understand... understand that I love you, and-"

"I promised you I wasn't going to fight... mom, just trust me, okay?"

Sanza's mother started to speak, then closed her mouth again. She'd told herself she was going to trust Sanza... and now she was going back on that. She knew that Sanza had probably been scared himself by the injuries he'd sustained in his last fight... as a wise woman of forty-four years, she knew that experience was the best teacher.

"Okay, Sanza... I trust you... and I love you, but please, remember what I said... there's never a good reason to get into a fight," said Sanza's mother, slowly walking over to the door and exiting the room, peeking in her head as she slowly closed the door behind her. "Love you..."

"Love you too, mom," Sanza replied, flopping back down on his bed as the door closed, waiting for Sorel's next call. _"One day, I'm going to tell you why I have to fight like this..."_

O-O-O

The roof of Titans Tower was a welcome retreat when one of the five superheroes felt as if things weren't going their way. Raven used it as a spot for meditation, while Robin had once leapt from its side in an attempt to rescue his friend Starfire from the Centari police. Now, Robin was back on the roof, looking out into the bright blue sky in a contemplative mood. He was contemplating exactly why Red X would be attacking the Titans in the way that he'd been doing so for the past few days. He'd taken the T-Chip, Raven's mirror, and a lock of Starfire's hair... and apparently, a feather from Beast Boy that the green hero had recalled feeling X remove from his body during the attack on the Xantha Building.

__

"Whatever he's got in mind, he's coming for me next... but what of mine could Red X possibly want to take away?"

Robin could think of many things... a piece of equipment from his utility belt, an item he'd captured from a defeated foe...

__

"When X comes for me, I'll be ready. I'll take him down once and for all."

Red X had hurt Starfire again... Robin could see the tears on her face as she stumbled out of the destroyed hall of mirrors. The thief had taken but a few strands of her hair, but with them, he took something else... Starfire's confidence, her happiness... something he'd done or said had hurt Starfire, and Robin was going to make him pay for it.

He didn't hear the door of the roof opening behind him, but when he felt the hand on his shoulder, he immediately knew from the softness of her touch exactly who it was.

"Starfire?" said Robin, turning his head to look up into her face. She was smiling, though Robin could tell that it was a smile that hid a deep feeling of worry... something was troubling Starfire, and Robin was going to find out what it was.

He couldn't have known that Starfire herself had come to the roof to find out what was troubling Robin... to comfort him like he'd comforted her on the roof so long ago.

She still remembered Robin's kindness during the time her sister Blackfire had visited the tower. It was Robin who ultimately convinced Starfire not to leave, and it was Robin who'd saved her from being replaced.

Robin had no fears about being replaced... his fear was much deeper... a fear that Red X would elude him, just as Slade and Trigon almost destroyed the Earth before Raven and the other Titans stopped them both.

Red X didn't threaten to destroy the Earth, but he was still a threat to the Titans, and Robin was determined to bring him down. He'd almost gone back to normal, almost stopped putting the capture of Red X before everything else... until the incident at the carnival. Now, Robin was as determined as ever.

"Robin, Red X did not hurt me yesterday... do you understand?" asked Starfire, sitting next to Robin and looking right into his eyes.

"He cut off a piece of your hair, Star... that requires at least a little bit of physical contact, right?" asked Robin. "I'm starting to think that you-"

"That I am siding with him?" said Starfire, her voice almost raised to the level of anger. "Now you listen to me, just because I do not wish for you to be constantly thinking about fighting Red X does not mean that I am not just as concerned as the rest of the team about finding him and bringing him to justice!"

O-O-O

Sorel's final call to Sanza came that afternoon, and a few minutes later, Red X walked into the main elevator room of the Tekita Refinery, prepared to receive his final mission.

"This, as you probably know by now, is the last mission I'll be sending you on," said Sorel, "before I turn you over to Slade to become his apprentice full-time."

"So get on with it," replied Red X. "What am I going to take from Robin?"

"It's like you've read my mind," said Sorel, "which almost makes me wish this was an entirely different type of mission. But you're right... you're going to be taking something from Robin."

O-O-O

It wasn't as if Robin wouldn't understand if Starfire had a bit of compassion for Red X. Out of all of the Titans, Starfire was by far the kindest... though a fierce fighter for sure, her heart still had a soft spot for even the most vicious of criminals... and even Robin had to admit that Red X was far from the most vicious of criminals.

"We all want to see Red X brought to justice," said Robin. "It's just that... just that... when I saw you come out of that hall of mirrors, you were crying, and I..."

Robin's expression grew soft, and he struggled to speak, because what he had to say next was probably uncharted territory in his relationship with Starfire. When he'd seen her cry, his own heart became weighted with sadness... though he had a deep emotional connection with all of the Titans, his connection with Starfire was the most profound of all of them.

"It is you yourself who once said that none of us should allow our emotions to control how we act," said Starfire, though she found herself raising her hand to stroke Robin's face, and had to pull it back down at the last second. "If all of this is just because you saw me cry, then-"

"Then I allowed my emotions to control my actions," replied Robin, which was exactly why he was reluctant to tell Starfire that he felt such a strong connection with her. "And if I'm going to handle this X situation rationally... if any of us are..."

"Then we will all have to calm down," said Starfire, "including myself."

O-O-O

"I have to take Robin's mask," said Red X, knowing in an instant that he'd probably just received his most difficult assignment. "No one's ever done that before."

"And you'll be the first," replied Sorel. "You don't have to kill him, you don't even have to know who he is, just take the mask and bring it back here. And I expect you to do this in good time. Unlike last night, I won't give you a specific deadline... but rest assured, I'll be watching your family, and-"

"And if you touch them, you won't be watching anyone ever again," said Red X, his voice rising in anger, "because if you do, I'll rip your eyes from their sockets."

"Touchy, touchy... what happened last night was a complete accident," said Sorel.

"And if it happens again... I'm going to have to accidentally kick your ass," replied Red X. _"I should just take this guy out right now... then go find Slade and... and... and no... my family's too important to try anything... DAMMIT!"_

"Need I remind you what might happen if you continue to talk to me that way?" asked Sorel. "Now go and get that mask, and I don't want to hear another word from you until you do."

O-O-O

Robin and Starfire stood up and briefly gazed out over the city, beautifully reflected in the light from the sun that was now just beginning to fall past the horizon.

"Thank you, Starfire... what you said to me was a big help," said Robin, calmed by Starfire's words. He couldn't let Red X spoil what he still knew about Starfire... that she was the strongest person he'd ever met, besides maybe Batman... even if she did happen to get herself into trouble every once in a while. She didn't need Robin protecting her... she and Robin protected each other. "Let's go enjoy the rest of the day."

Starfire turned to Robin, but instead of speaking to him, she gave him a light hug, her arms soft and gentle around Robin's back. Then, she and Robin began walking across the roof to the door leading back into the tower. As they got halfway to the door, Robin's T-Com rang. Both he and Starfire stopped as Robin took out the small communicator and opened it up.

The face at the other end belonged to Red X... who appeared to be standing in some sort of cathedral. Robin held his communicator close as he began to speak, not wanting Starfire to glimpse who he was talking to.

"What do you want, X?" whispered Robin, though he knew Starfire had heard him when she let out a quiet gasp.

"Just a heart-to-heart talk... one on one, you and me," said Red X. "That's all I want. Not a fight, just a talk."

"Where do I meet you?" Robin asked, his voice lined with the anger that he still felt for Red X.

"The Cathedral of St. Ignacius, at the corner of 26th and Lucas," said Red X. "You know where that is, right?"

Robin nodded.

"And come alone... I'd like this to be a private conversation. If I see any sign of your friends, I bolt."

Again, Robin nodded.

"I'll be there," said Robin, "but I can't guarantee that this isn't going to be a fight."

"I'll be ready then," Red X replied, "though I hope you can show some maturity by making this a cordial conversation, kid. I think there are some things you and I can learn from one another."

Robin closed the communicator, then turned toward the roof entrance. Standing in his path was Starfire, a worried look on her face.

"I heard everything that the Red X told you," said Starfire. "I need to come with you, Robin..."

"No way, Starfire..." said Robin, walking around her and opening the metallic door leading back into the tower. "He said that if he sees any of you, he'll leave. This might be the only chance I get to take Red X out..."

"Robin, what if it is a trap? What if-"

"It's a chance I'll have to take, Starfire," said Robin, running down the hallway. "And don't tell any of the others!"

O-O-O

As Red X was forced to confront his sins, so would Robin... the very same church where the thief, as Sanza, had taken Confessional just a few hours before, would now become a crucible for the test that the Boy Wonder would have to face.

And again, Red X played the waiting game, standing in the aisle of the empty cathedral until Robin arrived.

The sky had just gotten dark when Robin walked through the door and saw Red X standing at the back of the aisle, with several rows of pews flanking the aisle on either side. As Robin walked forward, Red X came up as well, until the two stood just a few feet away from one another.

"All right, Red X... I'm ready to talk," said Robin, his hand poised at the side of his utility belt. _"The second X tries anything..."_

But Red X truly didn't want to fight... he wanted to take Robin's mask and leave, and he hoped that Robin's desire to discover the thief's identity would outweigh the desire to keep his own identity a secret.

"Ever since you made this suit, you knew this day would come," said Red X, "the day where you'd finally have to face the decision you made. You created this suit, and now your greatest mistake is staring you right in the face."

"That day came a long time ago," replied Robin, his eyes narrowing. "It's been more than five months since I discovered that you took the Red X suit. I've been facing that mistake ever since."

"Robin, you've been running from that mistake," said Red X, now trying to intimidate Robin. "You've probably had nightmares about me, haven't you?"

Robin maintained his angry gaze, but inside, he began to tremble. Red X was right... he represented everything that was wrong about Robin's choice to make the suit... about Robin's choice to distrust his friends.

"You made this suit to counterract your friends' powers... I learned that almost as soon as I put it on," said Red X. "Electrical surge to open Cyborg's control panels and deactivate his systems. Transforming goo to hold Beast Boy in place and prevent his transformations. Ultra-adhesive tape to keep Raven from focusing her powers by using her magic words. Binding cable to keep Starfire's arms and legs immobile. Plus... a teleporting mechanism that I'm unfortunately no longer able to use because it would overload my new Xynothium reactor. You thought of everything, Robin..."

Robin clenched his fists as Red X spoke, waiting for the thief to make his point.

"Of course, once I took the suit, it became a lot harder for me than it ever was for you. Cyborg upgraded his systems to guard against electrical surge, Beast Boy practiced transforming until the makeup of his cells could handle being in heavier goo, Raven meditated until she could focus enough to use a lot of her powers without needing to speak, and Starfire just kept getting stronger and stronger... of course, once I upgraded my own tech, Star couldn't break out of my cables, but aside from that, you and the rest of your friends have outpaced me, Robin... so as you can see, I don't want to fight you."

"Then why are you here, X? Why did you call me?"

"I want to propose a trade," said Red X. "Ever since I took the suit, you've obviously wanted it back... now here's your chance, at least to get a piece of the suit. I want to trade your mask for mine, Robin. I don't want to know your name, I don't need to know your story... but I do want to be one of the few people who's seen behind that mask of yours, and I'm sure you'd like to see my face as well. What do you say, Robin? What do you say about letting me take a look behind the mask?"

"NEVER!" shouted Robin, his hand protectively raising to his mask. "Absolutely not... _there's got to be some reason he wants my mask so badly that he'd show his face to get it... any trade he proposes would be better for him than it is for me..."_

"C'mon, Robin," said Red X, obviously getting more and more impatient. "Don't you want to see who's been creating all this havoc the last few days? Don't you want to see the face of the person who's been causing so much trouble for your precious Starfire?"

"DON'T YOU EVER TOUCH STARFIRE!" Robin yelled, suddenly extending his bo staff and pointing it at Red X, his face lined with rage. "Don't even say her name..."

"Robin, please," laughed Red X, un-intimidated by Robin's sudden display of anger, and gesturing to the large wooden cross on the wall behind the altar. "I don't want to hurt Starfire, you know that. If I did, Starfire would be hanging bound and gagged on that cross right now, and you and I _both _know that you'd trade your mask in a second to get her back. Don't lie to yourself, Robin... you know it's true."

Robin clenched his fists, nearly cracking the bo staff with the force of his grip.

"You care about her... you were going to kill me during that fight we had, Robin," said Red X.

"I never kill anyone," replied Robin, "no matter how much I despise them..."

"You looked like you were going to... that's why I had to cut Starfire free so I could make my escape," said Red X. "If I hadn't freed Starfire when I did-"

"She got free on her own!" shouted Robin, though Starfire had told him otherwise. "She's stronger and braver than you'll ever be... and a million times better of a person!"

"This isn't about Starfire, Robin," Red X said, his tone quickly changing back to serious. "If you're not going to trade your mask for mine, I'm just going to have to take it... one way or another, I'm leaving here with your mask."

Red X leapt into the air and swung his leg around at Robin's face. Robin lifted his bo staff to block the attack, then came down and swung the staff at Red X's feet as he landed. Red X quickly positioned his feet away from the staff, then lunged forward and slammed his fist into Robin's face, knocking him to the ground.

O-O-O

Just outside the Salazars' home, a small legion of Sladebots crept outside, waiting for their order from Sorel to strike. Maddy and her mother, inside on the second floor watching television, were completely unaware that their lives could be put in danger at any moment...

O-O-O

As Robin stood up, Red X leapt back, firing several Xs from his palms. As they slammed into Robin, they exploded, knocking the Boy Wonder to his knees. Red X quickly ran toward the back of the cathedral, leaping over a pew and sliding into a side door.

"If you want to catch me, hurry up!" shouted Red X, beckoning Robin to follow. Without a moment's hesitation, Robin hurried into the side door, pursuing Red X down a hall and past several Sunday school classrooms.

__

"You won't get away this time!" thought Robin, watching as Red X stopped just short of an arch in the hallway leading to another part of the church. As Robin continued forward, he was blasted by an X that transformed into a large battering ram, knocking him down on his back for a second time.

"This is a house of God, Robin... and here your sins will be purified," said Red X, walking over to Robin and firing an X that quickly became an X-shaped metallic bar that embedded itself into the ground, pinning down Robin's arms. "But first, you must show your face to God..."

"God already knows what I look like under my mask..." said Robin, his bo staff useless in his immobile hands, "but you never will!"

As Red X drew closer, Robin kicked him hard in the stomach, knocking the thief back but doing little to stop him from coming forward again to take his mask.

"I will have it, Robin... there is nothing you can do to stop me!" shouted Red X, bending down to remove the mask from Robin's face. With his arms pinned far from his utility belt, Robin would have to use his head to escape... literally.

He slammed his forehead into Red X's nose, a painful shot that forced a cry of pain from Red X's mouth. Then, Robin swung his legs under the thief's, knocking him to the ground. This gave Robin the precious time he needed to rip one arm loose from the grasp of the metallic X and pull a Bat-a-rang from his utility belt, which he quickly used to cut the rest of his body free.

Red X stumbled away before Robin could act again, through the arch and around a corner to yet another hallway. Again, Robin gave chase, bo staff ready to strike.

O-O-O

Though Sorel couldn't see the fight, the fact that Red X hadn't presented him with Robin's mask yet was beginning to make him impatient. It had been just a few hours, but Sorel had assumed that Red X would set about his task right away.

__

"A little bit of encouragement is in order," said Sorel, withdrawing a walkie talkie-like device from his pocket and using it to give orders to one of his Sladebots. "Perhaps an immediate threat on the family's life will do the trick..."

O-O-O

Inside the second floor of the apartment, Maddy and her mother were watching the latest episode of _Extreme Celebrity Animal Makeover: Queer Edition_, unaware that a group of Sladebots were making their way up the outside fire escape, ready to burst into the house.

"Mom, where's Sanza?" asked Maddy, looking around the living room for any sign of her big brother.

"Probably watching TV in my room," said her mother, knowing that the only other TV in the house was in her bedroom, and available for use whenever someone in the family didn't want to watch what the others were watching. "It's a commercial, you can go check on him if you-"

Suddenly, a loud crash came from the Salazars' kitchen. Immediately, Maddy's mother leapt from her chair and ran into the kitchen to investigate the source of the noise.

When she saw the three Sladebots standing in the door, she let out a loud, blood-curdling scream.

O-O-O

The hallway contained several confessional booths, and when Robin saw no sign of Red X in the hall, he knew that the thief must've jumped into one of the booths.

Robin leapt into the first booth on the left, on the confessor's side. He looked around for several seconds, then finally leaned his head up to the metal grate.

Suddenly, a metallic X was wrapped around his neck from behind, forcing his head back against the now open grate, as Red X sat in the seat normally reserved for an ordained priest. The X held against Robin's neck caused him to gasp and choke, but he was helpless on his side of the booth, as a thick, wooden wall separated him from his foe.

"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," said Red X, pulling the metallic X against Robin's neck and choking him even tighter, "so confess your sin and be purified in this holy chamber!"

Robin's hands frantically went up to his neck as he desperately tried to free himself from Red X's choking grasp.

__

"If I can choke him long enough to make him pass out, I can take the mask with no problems," thought Red X, his grip tight on the two corners of the X that he held. Robin, on the other hand, was trying to pull forward, to counteract X's motion of pulling back. Fading between consciousness and unconsciousness, Robin could feel his strength starting to leave him, and he realized that just seconds stood between him and failure.

__

"Can't let this guy get the jump on me!" thought Robin, angry with himself for being lured into such a desperate situation. He reached down to his utility belt and pulled out a Bat-a-rang, knowing that it might be his only hope to save himself. "The only... sinner... in this booth... is you!"

With a skilled motion of his wrist, Robin threw the Bat-a-rang through the gap between his head and the side of the open grate. The sharp, metallic object flew backward until it slashed across Red X's arm, loosening his grip on the X and enabling Robin to jerk away. Once free, Robin took several deep, long breaths, while Red X lunged at Robin through the grate. Robin quickly spun around and punched Red X in the face, knocking him into the hard, wooden wall of the confessional booth.

"You didn't win..." groaned Red X, weakly sitting up against the side of the wall and pointing at the back of Robin's side of the booth. "Look..."

Robin turned around, and to his horror, saw a blinking Red X on the side of the chamber. As Red X rolled out, the entire booth exploded, with Robin trapped inside. X smiled and ran off, back down the hall and toward the sanctuary, leaving Robin in a pile of wooden rubble.

O-O-O

Sanza's mother picked up a frying pan and slammed it into the Sladebot's face, with little effect. It roughly shoved her backward, into the living room and with a now-horrified Maddy.

"Against the wall," shouted the lead Sladebot, pulling out a blaster and pointing it at Maddy and her mother. "NOW!"

Maddy screamed in terror as her mother pulled her back toward the wall and held her close against her body.

"Mommy, I'm scared..." cried Maddy, starting to sob into her mother's chest. "Who are these people?"

"I have no idea..." whispered the trembling woman, suddenly worried that her son might also be in danger. _"Sanza... please don't come out and let them see you... don't let them hurt you..."_

O-O-O

Robin threw pieces of wood from the destroyed confessional off of his body, crawling out of the pile of rubble and growling in rage.

"Where are you, X?" shouted Robin, opening up all the doors of the other confessionals and looking inside. "I'll find you... I'll find you!"

"Salvation lies within!" shouted Red X from the sanctuary, which Robin was barely able to hear. Robin ran toward the source of the voice, dashing back into the sanctuary through the door he came and seeing Red X up on the altar. With a single leap, he jumped onto the other side of the large altar and began walking toward Red X, who slunk back with every step that Robin took.

"What's the matter?" asked Robin, his fists clenched. "Afraid to face your own sins? I admit I made a mistake when I created Red X... but you made a far bigger mistake when you brought him back!"

"Is that so?" asked Red X, stopping at the side of the altar and pointing his finger in Robin's face. "Then why was it so hard for you to answer my questions? Why were you so angry every time I mentioned Starfire? Why-"

Suddenly, the phone concealed in Sanza's pocket under the Red X suit began to ring. Barely hearing the ring tone, Red X reached under the suit and pulled out the phone.

"Who called you?" shouted Robin, genuinely interested in any caller that might give him a clue as to what Red X's identity was. "Tell me!"

But Red X simply turned on the phone and began listening to the voice on the other end. It was Sorel's.

"Where's my mask?" said Sorel, his voice clearly impatient.

"I'm busy getting it right now, so-"

"Get it faster, or else!" shouted Sorel, and suddenly, a picture appeared on the phone. Or rather, a live video feed of Sanza's mother and sister, trembling at the feet of the Sladebots now invading their home. Red X let out a loud gasp.

"You... you..."

"Get my mask now or they're done for!" shouted Sorel, before the conversation abruptly ended.

"Who's calling? What did they say?" asked Robin. "Answer me or else!"

Red X casually put up the phone, trying to keep a calm exterior, though on the inside he was boiling with rage. Sorel had done the one thing that X had clearly told him not to do... and that was to attack his family. Now, Red X's anger was no longer focused on Robin... but on Sorel.

But if he could get the mask quickly, he might save his family from harm... and Robin, who'd grown impatient with Red X ignoring him, gave him the perfect opportunity to attack. He left forward, his bo staff aimed directly at Red X's face. Fueled by anger and adrenaline, Red X ducked under the bow staff attack, then punched Robin in the mouth with a powerful left hook that sent the Boy Wonder reeling. Before Robin could counter, Red X charged forward and kicked Robin in the stomach, bringing the Boy Wonder to his knees. A final kick to the face splayed Robin on the ground, gasping in pain.

"I told you I'd get that mask, one way or another," said Red X, bending over Robin and reaching down to his face. "And now, it's mine. Consider yourself beat."

Suddenly, the stained-glass window above the altar shattered. As Red X looked up to see who'd shattered the window, several Starbolts came flying toward him, which he barely managed to leap away from. Starfire, her eyes and hands aglow with energy, rapidly flew down toward Red X, ready to bombard him with another Starbolt barrage.

"I don't think so," said Red X, firing an exploding X that hit Starfire right in the chest, knocking her to the ground next to Robin.

"Starfire..." moaned Robin, rolling over to see if Starfire was okay, "I told you... not to come..."

She turned back to him, a smile on her face as she weakly tried to stand.

"I had to come here, Robin... we are a team, remember?"

"This is real sweet, kids," said Red X, walking up to Robin and Starfire on the altar, "but I've got a mission to complete, so-"

"Azarath, metreon, ZINTHOS!"

Every pew in the cathedral lifted up from the ground and flew toward Red X, exploding in front of his body in a shower of wood and chunks of metal. As he shielded his face and chest with his arms to protect himself from the debris, he could see Raven, Beast Boy, and Cyborg running down the aisle to fight him.

__

"Not them too..." thought Red X, knowing that the presence of all five Titans would make it impossible for him to steal Robin's mask. He remembered his family at home... his mother and sister, about to be vaporized by the Sladebots Sorel had deployed to attack them.

Sorel attacked them... Red X couldn't fight the Titans anymore... he was going to keep his promise to Sorel.

__

"If he ever attacked them again... I told him I'd rip him to pieces... and that's what I'm going to do..." thought Red X, leaping out one of the windows of the church just as Raven and the others made it to the altar.

"Are you guys okay?" asked Beast Boy, reaching out and helping Starfire up from the ground, while Cyborg tended to Robin. "And are we going to follow him, or-"

"Actually..." said Robin, a smile appearing on his face, "we're going to let him go... and we're going to let him keep running until he gets where he's supposed to be."

"But Robin," said Starfire, baffled that Robin would let Red X so easily escape, "why-"

"Because I finally managed to put a tracking device on him, that's why," said Robin, who'd tossed the tracking device onto X's cape just as he was jumping out the window. "Someone _is _giving Red X orders... and X is going to help us find him."

O-O-O

Inside the Salazars' living room, Maddy and her mother sat frozen on the floor as the Sladebots' guns were pointed right at their heads. Occasionally, Maddy's mother would reach up to wipe tears from her daughter's face, but other than that, neither of them could do anything but tremble and pray that their lives wouldn't be suddenly cut short.

"You bastards can do whatever you want to me... but please, just let my daughter go..."

"Shut up!" shouted the head Sladebot, pressing his gun right into the woman's face. "We're just following-"

Suddenly, the robots seemed to stop, as if some unknown force had deactivated them from afar. Without a word, the Sladebots turned and exited the house the way that they came, leaving the door open behind them. For several seconds, Maddy and her mother sat wide-eyed on the floor, wondering if their horrible ordeal was truly over. Finally, Maddy managed to work up the courage to speak.

"They... they're gone, mommy..." Maddy whispered, her knees trembling as she stood up. Her mother stood up as well, wrapping her arms around Maddy and breaking out into tears.

"Thank God..." Maddy's mother exclaimed, her sobs and Maddy's filling the small room. _"But... why did those horrible things come at all?"_

O-O-O

The threat of harm had been enough, decided Sorel, who decided to call back his Sladebots after sending out his message to Sanza.

Sorel had hoped that the message had been loud and clear... that he could have Sanza's family killed at any time, without a second thought.

__

"The mask will be delivered any time now," thought Sorel with a smile.

O-O-O

But Red X didn't have the mask in hand... only a new mission. He was racing down darkened streets, toward Tekita Refinery as fast as his legs could carry him. Within minutes, he would arrive, and Sorel would pay...

__

"Nobody attacks my familia _and gets away with it... nobody."_

O-O-O

Sorel might've pushed his luck too far this time... and now a battle with Red X is imminent. Meanwhile, the Titans now have their biggest lead yet... and they too will be heading for the refinery, though they don't yet know it. How will Slade play into all of this? And will the Titans finally learn that he's the one who's been behind Red X's new agenda? Find out in the next huge chapter! Oh, one more thing. I'm a Protestant who really has no idea how the rite of Confession really works... did some research to get as close as I can to the real thing, but I'm probably still wrong, so don't yell at me, k?


	12. Fateful Decisions

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Teen Titans. If I did, this would be on TV and not here.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This doesn't take place in the same storyline as my "Forced Base" and "Fractured Heart" stories, so forget those when you're reading this. Also, this takes place after the fourth season, so anything that happens in the show after that isn't applicable to this. Also, about Sanza/Red X: When he's wearing the mask, he's Red X. When he's not, he's Sanza. Simple as that.

O-O-O

There was no turning back now for Red X, who leaned back against the wall of the elevator as it took him up to the circular room where he knew Sorel would be waiting.

Whether or not his family was unharmed, he was going to fight Sorel... going to end their business relationship once and for all. He'd warned Sorel about attacking Maddy and his mother a second time... and Sorel had not heeded that warning.

__

"Slade won't like me attacking one of his men..." thought Red X as the elevator stopped at the top of the shaft. _"But I don't give a damn."_

The door opened, and Red X stepped into the room, walking slowly toward the other side of the circle. There, Sorel was standing, an eager smile on his face. He had no idea that Red X had radically changed his mission plan.

"So, Sanza... did you bring me the mask like I asked you to?" asked Sorel, but Red X simply stopped in the center of the room, staring deeply into Sorel's face.

"I told you not to attack my family," replied Red X, his fists beginning to clench. "You didn't listen... your men broke into their house... _my _house-"

"Your mother and sister are fine," said Sorel. "I called off my robots a short time ago... they should be returning here as we speak."

A deep feeling of relief came over Red X, as he learned for the first time that his family was safe and unharmed. Part of him now regretted not retrieving Robin's mask, knowing that his mother and Maddy's lives might once again be endangered for deviating from the mission.

But nevertheless, Sorel had violated his part of the agreement... Maddy and Sanza's mother had been attacked, and thus, harmed... the same way Red X knew he'd harmed Starfire when he kidnapped her.

X knew what he had to do... he had to keep his promise, and he had to fight Sorel.

"Our agreement was that if I do what you say, my family wouldn't be touched," said Red X, "and you violated that agreement."

"Your family is _fine_, Sanza..." Sorel replied, now becoming annoyed that X hadn't yet presented him with the mask. "I didn't-"

"Bullshit," replied Red X, pointing his palm at Sorel's face. The X on his palm began to glow, and immediately, Sorel took a defensive stance.

"Think of what you're doing, Sanza!" shouted Sorel, a golden belt around his waist beginning to glow. Suddenly, his entire body was surrounded by a spherical field of white energy, illuminated by the light of the room. "You attack me and you endanger your family!"

"You just said you called back your robots, right?" asked Red X. "And if you didn't, you're a liar... all the more reason to destroy you!"

An X blasted forth from Red X's palm, slamming into the glowing white barrier around Sorel and instantly disintegrating. A chuckle escaped Sorel's lips, and he began moving slowly toward Red X, his feet floating several inches off the ground. Red X took a step back, but kept his palms pointed in Sorel's direction, confident he'd find a way past his opponent's energy field.

"I see you'll just have to be taught obedience the hard way..." said Sorel, slowly lifting up his hands and causing the floor beneath Red X to begin slowly rising upward, briefly causing X to lose his balance. "If you thought beating the Titans was hard, wait until you've fought me for a while! Then you'll know the meaning of true strength!"

A beam of white light suddenly shot up from the ground under Red X, burning his skin and causing him to fall to one knee. With his skin tingling from the effects of the beam, Red X lifted his hands and shot out several more Xs at Sorel, all of which hit the white light barrier and quickly burned to ashes.

__

"Damn..." thought Red X, watching as Sorel continued to float toward him. _"I gotta find some way to get my attacks through that shield..."_

The ground beneath Red X began to rise up again, but this time he was prepared for an underground assault, and rolled out of the way just in time to avoid another white beam. He looked around the room and saw Sorel and his spherical shield floating just to his right, and decided to try a more direct approach to getting through Sorel's defenses. He extended his wrist blades and leapt forward, slicing at the shield of light around Sorel's body. As soon as his blades came in contact with the light, however, Red X knew he'd made a huge mistake. The contact sent a wave of electricity shooting through Red X's entire body, powerful enough to blast him into the air, where he was a sitting duck for a hard punch to the face by Sorel. The punch slammed Red X to the ground, and he landed hard enough on his back to knock the wind clear out of him.

As he lay gasping on the ground, Sorel floated over him, and a small mass of glowing white energy suddenly appeared in his right hand.

"As you can see, attacking me is foolish, not to mention impossible," said Sorel, though instead of looking into Sorel's face, Red X was looking even further up... all the way to the ceiling. An idea quickly formed in his head. "I'll give you one chance to surrender, before-"

An X shot up from Red X's palm, slamming into the ceiling and exploding in a flash of red light. The blast sent rubble plummeting downward from the ceiling into the top of Sorel's shield. The rubble disintegrated on contact with the white energy, and Red X made his move.

"Let's see if you can be in two places at once," said Red X, leaping up and kicking Sorel hard in the knee. Sure enough, the shield wasn't powerful enough to block both the rubble and Red X's kick at the same time, and the kick connected, disorienting Sorel and causing his shield to disappear. Red X lunged forward, shooting another exploding X, this time into Sorel's chest. The force of the blast knocked Sorel all the way back into the wall, and before he could recover from _that _attack, Red X fired several more Xs that transformed into goo and completely encased Sorel's body, pinning him to the wall in a mass of sticky red slime. "Hmm... guess you can't."

O-O-O

While Red X was fighting Sorel, the Titans were following the tracker signal that Robin had planted on Red X. The display on the front of Robin's T-Cycle showed a bright, blinking dot at Red X's exact location.

"He's somewhere on the west side of the city," said Robin, accelerating his T-Cycle around a corner while allowing Starfire, Raven, Beast Boy, and Cyborg plenty of time to catch up. _"After all this time trying to figure out the reasons why you've been committing all these crimes recently... now we're going to find you, Red X, _and _your new employer... and you're both going down."_

Though Robin now knew that X wasn't working alone, his theory for X's motives suggested a crime partnership far more than a situation where Red X was being coerced into his crimes.

Starfire and Raven, on the other hand, had a different theory in mind... they both believed that Red X wasn't making his decision to attack the Titans willingly, especially considering the boldness of his recent attacks.

Beast Boy and Cyborg were both on the fence about who to believe, but they, like the other Titans, agreed that the best way to solve the Red X problem was to find him and take him down.

They'd found him... now all that remained was the taking down part.

Cyborg was the first to notice the enormous central tower of the Tekita Refinery, rising up in the distance. He took a glance out of the T-Car's window, toward the display on the front of Robin's T-Cycle. The blinking red dot appeared to be originating from the direction of the tower.

"Hey Robin, I think your man X is at the refinery," said Cyborg, causing Starfire to take a glance at the display herself.

"Cyborg is right, the Red X is at the refinery..."

"Head for that tower!" Robin shouted, accelerating his T-Cycle down the street in the direction of the refinery. The other Titans followed, hoping Robin's lead would provide them with the answers that they'd been seeking for so long.

O-O-O

From high up in his chambers in the refinery tower, Slade watched the security monitor that displayed a live feed of Sorel and Red X's fight. Rather than being angry at his reluctant apprentice's betrayal of Sorel, Slade actually seemed interested in the fight that had developed, and he watched eagerly as the battle progressed.

He'd expected Red X to attack Sorel the entire time. Sorel was merely a buffer... a checkpoint between Red X and Slade. Slade knew that giving Sorel the power to attack Sanza's family would result in him using that power, which, sooner or later, would force Red X to strike back.

__

"Keep this up, and you'll pass your final test with flying colors, my apprentice..." thought Slade, suddenly noticing something else on one of his monitors... the Teen Titans had just entered the refinery's parking lot, an unexpected wrinkle in Slade's plans. His finger moved toward a large red button under his desk. _"The Titans... it's a small wonder they didn't show up sooner. But I can't have them interfering... not this time."_

O-O-O

Red X knew that Sorel was trapped, but he also knew that a bit of red goo wouldn't stop him for very long. Almost immediately, he began bombarding the goo with shuriken Xs, hoping to cause some damage to Sorel while he was trapped in his current predicament.

As soon as the first barrage of shurikens hit the goo, it exploded, and Sorel burst out, the red slime burning from his flesh as he threw his arms outward. His white hair suddenly turned black, and the four braids in his hair began standing up on end, as if attracted by some distant static force. A dark, purplish aura appeared around his body, replacing the white sphere from earlier.

__

"Whatever Sorel just did, I don't like it..." thought Red X, who could feel the energy emerging from Sorel's body as the jewel in the center of his belt shined solid black.

"No more games," shouted Sorel, his fist punching forward at Red X, sending out a dark purple fireball. Red X immediately responded, firing an X that collided with the fireball and nullified them both. Sorel lunged forward, kicking Red X in the chest and tossing him backward, but allowing him to maintain his footing as he landed a few yards away.

"This isn't a game," replied Red X, running toward Sorel with both of his wrist blades extended. "This is about my family!"

But instead of trying to slash Sorel with the blades, Red X leapt up into the air, flipping over Sorel and landing behind his back. When Sorel turned around, Red X rushed forward and charged Sorel's energy shield, slicing with both blades toward his face.

"Fool, don't you realize that with my shield up, your attack is point-"

Sorel could suddenly feel an intense explosion just behind his back, its force completely blocked by his dark energy shield. Because of the explosion, Red X was able to charge right up to Sorel and slice his face with both blades, making large gashes on both of his cheeks. Right after the slashes, Red X began to feel his hands stinging with an intense burning sensation. He pulled back his arms and saw smoke rising from both of his gloves, covering hands that were now flaring up with pain.

The thief began shaking his arms, trying to rid himself of the painful burns, or at least to alleviate their effects somewhat. As he did, he received a powerful kick to the side of the head, slamming his body into the door of the nearest glass elevator. He flew through the glass and impacted against the wall at the back of the small chamber, his shoulder slamming into its cold, metallic surface.

"Forgot to tell you about that," said Sorel, "but as you probably felt, my Nega Shield contains enough energy to burn the flesh of anyone who tries to penetrate it, unlike my normal shield which you've probably grown accustomed to."

__

"Nega Shield?" thought Red X, his hands still slightly singed from the effects of the dark energy. He slowly stood up in the shattered elevator, ignoring the pain in his severely bruised right shoulder. _"What does he think this is... Sailor Moon or something?"_

Red X could see the spherical purple shield, still radiating forth from Sorel's body, glowing in tune with the jewel in the belt around Sorel's waist.

__

"I've gotta try and get to that jewel somehow... that has to be what's powering the shield, and maybe Sorel himself!" thought Red X. Before he could step out of the elevator, however, the entire small chamber filled with a powerful electrical charge, instantly causing X to collapse to the ground, screaming and writhing in pain. "What... is... this?"

"It's called electricity, but I guess you don't pay enough attention in school to know something like that," taunted Sorel, his extended palm apparently providing the source for the electrical blast that was currently filling the entire elevator chamber that Red X was in. "You know, someone like you should be honored that a great man like Slade saw fit to take you on as his apprentice! He sees more potential in you than he does in me, which is hard to believe, since I'm currently the one who's about to burn your pathetic body to a crisp!"

Red X struggled to stand, but his entire body felt paralyzed from the effect of the shock, and it felt like every inch of his skin was ready to burn off. He immediately recalled the powerful shock Red Raven had administered to him inside Raven's mirror... that was enormously painful, but this shock had to be seriously close... and Sorel was giving no sign that he would stop.

__

"He's trying... to kill me..." thought Red X, gritting his teeth under the mask to try and keep himself from screaming. _"I didn't think Slade would let him, but... if Sorel kills me, Slade can just make Sorel his apprentice or something... I have to fight to survive!"_

But with every second, the shock inside the elevator seemed to intensify two-fold... and Red X knew that he was beginning to run out of time.

O-O-O

The Titans entered the parking lot, and Robin and Cyborg stopped briefly to park their vehicles in spaces toward the back of the lot. As soon as Robin got off his T-Cycle, and Cyborg exited the T-Car, the Titans were moving again, rushing toward the entrance to the refinery.

Starfire, floating alongside Raven and above the rest of the group, could see the determined look in Robin's eyes as he ran across the dark, asphalt parking lot. She couldn't help but feel a bit of nervousness as she and the others neared the entrance... whoever was controlling Red X could certainly be far more powerful and dangerous than he was, and Starfire knew that the Titans would have to be ready for anything.

But she also felt relief, knowing that once the reason for X's recent actions had been exposed, Robin could finally relax again... could finally stop worrying.

"I can't wait to get in there and kick some bad guy butt..." said Beast Boy, an excited smile on his face as the Titans neared the building. "I've been wanting a rematch with X ever since our fight at the Xantha Building..."

"We're not just here to fight Red X," reminded Raven. "We're here to find out who's been giving him or-"

Raven didn't get to finish her sentence, because before the Titans could get up to the front door of the refinery, she was blasted in the side by an orange energy beam, directed at her from the roof. She hit the asphalt and looked up toward the roof... where two dozens Sladebots were standing.

"Titans, go!" shouted Robin, extending his bo staff as the Sladebots began leaping from the rooftop. The realization that he and his friends were dueling Sladebots hadn't quite come to his mind... he was too quickly overcome by the rush of battle.

The Sladebots were each carrying handheld plasma guns, which shot beams of concentrated energy when they were fired. Raven had already felt the effects of a beam, and she quickly responded with a dark energy blast of her own, which slammed into the chest of one of the Sladebots leaping straight for her. The blast was powerful enough to make a hole in the Sladebot's chest, as well as knock it back into a couple of its counterparts. The three Sladebots landed in a heap on the ground, but the two that Raven hadn't blasted quickly threw off their destroyed friend and jumped back into the fray.

A squad of six Sladebots charged Beast Boy, who transformed into an elephant and quickly grabbed two of the robots with his large trunk. As he began swinging the two bots around, the other four Sladebots opened fire on Beast Boy, whose tough skin easily reflected the blasts from their powerful plasma guns. Another Sladebot with a large steel chain in his hand leapt onto Beast Boy's back and wrapped the chain tightly across elephant Beast Boy's neck. Beast Boy bucked wildly to throw off the Sladebot, but the chain around Beast Boy's neck kept him anchored mostly to the ground.

"Don't worry, Beast Boy, I'm comin'!" shouted Cyborg, pointing his arm cannon at a Sladebot that was trying to chase him down. The blast from Cyborg's cannon destroyed the pursuer, but two more Sladebots standing in front of Cyborg had a plan to stop him. They stretched out their fists, and when Cyborg turned his head around to look forward again, his face slammed into the fists, and he was quickly brought down to the ground.

Beast Boy, who was starting to lose his breath from the force of the chain around his neck, used his strength to propel his enormous front legs up into the air, throwing off the Sladebot on his back and bringing his legs down on two of the bots underneath, smashing them to pieces. He then swung his trunk into the two Sladebots on the ground, tossing two other robots down on top of them before he lifted up his legs again and squashed all four robots in the pile. He detransformed and began doing a celebratory dance, pumping his fists up and down.

"Beast Boy, look behind you!" shouted Raven, charging up an energy blast in her hands to stop two Sladebots who were creeping up behind Beast Boy, their guns pointed right at his back. Beast Boy turned around just as Raven fired her blast, which slammed into the two Sladebots and disintegrated them both.

"Yeah, I saw your cool energy blast," Beast Boy replied, thinking Raven had warned him just so he could see her destroy a couple of Sladebots. With a sigh, Raven flew over Beast Boy's head toward another part of the battle.

Meanwhile, Starfire using her flight skills to lift Robin just over the heads of the Sladebots below, giving him clear shots with his bo staff so that he could swing it down and whack off the robots' heads.

"We make a wonderful team, do we not?" asked Starfire, a smile on her face. As Robin smiled back and nodded, he noticed another Sladebot leaping onto Starfire's back. "STARFIRE!"

The Sladebot wrapped its arms around Starfire's chest, causing her to scream and drop Robin onto the ground. Robin landed right on Cyborg's head, knocking both of them onto the hard asphalt.

"You couldn't have landed just a few feet thataway?" asked Cyborg, standing up and pointing his finger in an arbitrary direction. Robin brushed himself off, looking around the parking lot had been completely cleared of Sladebots... except for one.

"You are squashing my grebnacks!" shouted Starfire, turning her head around and firing her eyebeams at the Sladebot that had grabbed her from above. The eyebeams hit the Sladebot's head, causing it to explode and immediately loosening the bot's grip from Starfire. The headless robot fell off of the Tamaranian girl and dropped harmlessly to the asphalt below. With a sigh of relief, Starfire stopped in place and lowered herself gently to the ground, surveying her surroundings to search for other Sladebots. She could see only her fellow Titans, standing together under a streetlight near the building. "We are victorious!"

"That we are," said Robin, brushing a few small pieces of gravel from his chest. Now that the battle was over, he had more time to reflect... and he could clearly remember the Titans' peculiar attackers. "Were those-"

The garage to the right of the refinery entrance slowly slid open, and out of the garage rolled what appeared at first glance to be a large, red and yellow tank... but on second glance was confirmed to be a giant energy cannon, its barrel pointed straight at the Titans. Four Sladebots, two on each side, were walking out beside it, while another Sladebot was mounted on top, apparently at the cannon's controls. The Titans immediately prepared themselves for another fight.

__

"Yep, those are Sladebots..." thought Robin, his mind suddenly filling with fear. _"But that could only mean... Slade is back!"_

O-O-O

As he felt the powerful shock still coursing through his body, Red X almost wished that he was fighting Slade instead of Sorel... there was no way Slade could be _this _powerful, was there?

Clenching his teeth had helped a little, but Red X couldn't hold in his pained screams for long, and he let out another cry of pain, much to the joy of Sorel, who only intensified the shock even more as Red X screamed.

"Now will you learn to follow orders?" shouted Sorel, his voice cruel and taunting. "You're a weak, pathetic fool, far too cowardly to fight the Titans... but rest assured, I'll treat you a hell of a lot worse than they ever would have!

Trying to muster up as much courage as he could, Red X looked straight into Sorel's eyes.

"You're not... intimidating me... by hurting me, Sorel..." groaned Red X, who suddenly noticed something. When Sorel was shocking him, the dark barrier around his body seemed to completely disappear. _"Now's my chance..."_

Sorel, absorbed in his torture of Red X, didn't see the thief's left palm begin to glow.

"If I'm not intimidating you, why are you screaming so loudly? Why do you seem so afraid of me, hmm?"

When Red X didn't respond, Sorel glanced down toward Red X's glowing palm. But by then, he'd already launched an attack... a shuriken X aimed straight for the jewel in Sorel's belt. The X embedded itself into the jewel, throwing out a bright flash of red sparks and causing lightning to course wildly around Sorel's body.

"What... have you... DONE?" Sorel screamed, his hair changing wildly back and forth from white to black as his body was engulfed in red electricity. Weak from the pain of the shocks, Red X could only sit against the wall of the elevator and watch as Sorel stepped slowly back to the center of the room, his hands over his face as the lightning he'd used to torment Red X appeared to now be shocking him. "You... you FOOL! You stupid, idiotic fool!"

__

"I think I just kicked your ass, that's what..." thought Red X, stepping weakly out of the broken elevator. The electricity coursing around Sorel disappeared, and the man collapsed to his knees, the jewel in his belt cracked and now glowing red, along with his hair.

"You think you've won... but you haven't..." said Sorel, suddenly picking himself up from the ground and wobbling to his feet. "You haven't nearly won... you destroyed my shield, that's all... but now... but now I won't be needing it, because..."

Around the room, pillars of fire suddenly burst up from the ground, striking one spot after another. As Red X felt the ground beneath his body begin to heat up, he leapt out of the way just as a bright jet of red flames shot out just inches away from him.

"That's not good..." Red X said quietly, turning back to Sorel, who was cackling as flames shot up from various spots in the room. In each of his hands was a bright, glowing red fireball, with red lightning coursing up and down both of his arms. "You're insane..."

"Oh, really?" said Sorel, his eyes narrowed as a smile appeared on his face. "Well, you're just dead!"

Sorel threw the fireballs at Red X, who painfully dodged them both and watched as they exploded into large bursts of flame as they hit the ground. Another jet of fire shot up from the floor next to him, and it felt as if the entire room was slowly becoming a sweltering oven.

__

"I'd better beat him quickly before I burn to a crisp..." thought Red X, the inside of his suit quickly becoming wet with perspiration. He clenched his fists, ignoring the pain of his earlier injuries and steeling himself for battle. _"Without his shield, I've still got a chance..."_

O-O-O

The Titans didn't wait as the giant cannon began to charge its beam. They rushed the cannon and the Sladebots flanking it, though Robin hesitated for a second as the reality of Slade's return began to sink in. As each of the Titans engaged one of the flanking Sladebots, Robin leapt up onto the cannon to face the operator himself, a particularly dangerous Sladebot wielding a pair of deadly nunchaku.

Robin ducked as the Sladebot swung the nunchaku at his head, but the second weapon caught him on the leg, its chain wrapping around his ankle and knocking him to the ground. The cannon continued to charge, and its operator kicked the stunned Robin off of the top of the machine, putting him directly in the cannon's path.

Raven, who'd just dispatched a Sladebot with one of her energy blasts, quickly ran in front of Robin and threw up a shield to block the large beam as it shot forth from the cannon, a powerful blue ray with smaller purple rays circling around it, giving it a spiral shape. Raven's energy shield blocked the blast, but it continued forward, and her feet slid back along the asphalt from its powerful force.

"Thanks, Raven..." said Robin as he stood up and wrapped his arms around Raven's stomach from behind to hold her in place. "Can you stop the beam on your own?"

"For a little while..." said Raven, clenching her teeth as sweat began dripping down her face, "but I think... I'll need more help..."

Though Robin was helping Raven hold her ground, her shield wouldn't be able to stand up for much longer, and soon, both Robin and Raven were being pushed back by the beam.

After using his powerful fists to smash the head of a Sladebot, gorilla Beast Boy ran behind Robin, wrapping his arms around both him and Raven. Again, they were stopped from sliding back, but the beam still pressed forward.

Raven's eyes widened as she watched her energy shield slowly start to crack. She knew it was just a few more seconds before her shield would fail completely, and she and her friends would be in serious trouble.

"Can't... hold it back... any longer!" shouted Raven, just as Cyborg's beam shot through the chest of the third flanking Sladebot.

"Don't worry, I'm coming!" shouted Cyborg, running up beside Raven and firing his blue arm cannon into the back of her shield. The boost of energy fortified Raven's shield and even pushed the cannon's large blue beam back a few inches. "Damn, what kind of weapon is this?"

"A Slade weapon," said Robin, his voice lowering in anger as he said Slade's name.

"One of the best Slade weapons," said the Sladebot operating the cannon, turning its beam up to maximum level. Now, the beam pushed even harder on the Titans trying to hold it back, pushing all of them several inches along the asphalt, and further damaging the integrity of Raven's shield. She let out an anguished cry, but continued to pour her own energy into the shield, her muscles tensing and straining with every passing second.

"We can't... hold it back... by ourselves..." said Robin, in nearly as much pain as Raven was, his arms tightly wrapped around her stomach. "We need... STARFIRE!"

"I am coming!" she shouted, firing Starbolt after Starbolt at the fourth and final cannon flanking Sladebot. With just a few bolts, the bot was completely destroyed, and Starfire flew over to the other side of Raven, using her eyebeams to fortify the shield further. Though Starfire's beams kept Raven's shield intact, they still weren't strong enough to completely hold it together, and small cracks continued to appear in the shield's surface. _"This is not working... there has to be another way to-"_

Then, Starfire noticed the Sladebot operating the cannon.

"Of course!" said Starfire, floating away from the shield and up to the top of the cannon.

"Starfire..." groaned Raven, barely able to keep up her shield any longer and puzzled that her friend would seemingly stop helping her. "What are you-"

"Look!" shouted Robin, his eyes glancing up to the top of the cannon, where Starfire was standing next to its Sladebot operator. _"Way to go, Starfire!"_

"You will turn off the cannon, please!" shouted Starfire to the Sladebot, who took one look at her before returning to the operation of the beam. "Grrrr..."

Starfire blasted the Sladebot in half with her eye lasers, and both halves of the broken robot fell to the ground, a mess of burned wires and metal. Starfire walked up to the controls of the beam and took a brief glance before pulling down a lever, apparently the cannon's off switch. The powerful beam immediately disappeared, and the four Titans who had been holding it back for several minutes fell to the ground in an exhausted heap, sighing with relief.

With a giggle, Starfire hopped off the beam cannon and walked over to her friends, who were groaning and rubbing their arms. Robin was the first to speak.

"Thanks, Star... you really saved our butts back there..." said Robin, smiling at her.

"I believe we all saved our own butts," Starfire replied modestly, wrapping her arms around Robin's back. "I am just glad you are all undamaged..."

"Yeah, but what the heck were those things?" shouted Beast Boy, trying to recall where he'd seen the familiar robots before. "Wait a minute... they were-"

"Sladebots," said Robin, finishing Beast Boy's sentence. "We're dealing with Sladebots..."

"Which also means that we're dealing with Slade," Cyborg said, and Robin gave a solemn nod.

"But then, that means... that the Red X is working with Slade," said Starfire, worried as she stated the horribly obvious. _"Was it then Slade who compelled Red X to kidnap me? I truly hope that that is so..."_

"Bravo, Titans... I didn't think you'd find me so soon."

The Titans all looked up to the roof of the cylinder... there, standing just above the entrance of the refinery, his gaze as menacing as ever, was Slade, his hands on his hips. He leapt down from the roof, nearly thirty feet, all the way down to the pavement in front of the Titans, who all went into fighting stances as soon as Slade hit the ground.

"What's your plan this time, Slade?" shouted Robin, knowing that Slade's plans for the city involved far more than just Red X.

"Now Robin, you know I'm not in the mood to talk about things like plans right now..." Slade said, his voice exuding the same cold, calculating nature that Robin and the other Titans had gotten used to from the master criminal. "Actually, I want to talk about choices."

"We don't have time for games, Slade," said Robin angrily, but Slade, unconcerned about Robin or any of the other Titans, simply continued his spiel.

"When Terra met with her unfortunate demise, I had to make a choice about who was going to be my new apprentice. Would it be Robin, as per my original desire? Or would it be someone... else?"

__

"I knew it... I knew X was being manipulated," thought Raven, her fists clenching as dark energy began glowing around them. _"I just wish I'd realized that X was being manipulated by Slade..."_

"And now, you're faced with a choice. Do you go inside and pay a visit to my new apprentice? Or do you come after me?"

And with that, Slade dashed from the parking lot with seemingly inhuman speed, his legs carrying him toward the rest of the city. Almost immediately, Starfire, Raven, Beast Boy, and Cyborg charged toward the entrance of the refinery... but Robin was compelled to go after Slade.

"Titans, we've gotta catch him!" Robin shouted.

"But... the Red X is-" Starfire began, before Robin angrily cut her off.

"We CAN'T let Slade get away!" Robin yelled, charging after Slade as fast as he could.

"Maybe we could split up!" Beast Boy suggested, reluctant to go after Slade and willing to take his chances in the tower with Red X.

Suddenly, Robin stopped, turning toward Beast Boy and yelling so that he could clearly be heard.

"Did you forget what Slade did to Terra?" Robin shouted, pointing in the direction of the city. With a frown and a nod, Beast Boy ran in the opposite direction from the refinery, following Robin, who resumed his dash into the city. Resigning themselves to a chase, Raven and Cyborg followed Robin and Beast Boy, while Starfire hesitated in the parking lot, sadly hanging her head.

"Remember what Red X did to me?" said Starfire quietly to herself, slightly angry that Robin had used emotional imagery to sway the other Titans. _"I thought that you said it was best not to be so emotional..."_

Flying away from the refinery and back toward the city with her friends, Starfire could only hope that Red X would still be at the refinery once Slade had been caught.

__

"Now that I know you are being controlled... I truly wish to help save you from Slade..."

O-O-O

Red X had to alternate between attacking Sorel and dodging the jets of flame that were shooting up from the ground. Every time one would go off, he would fire a shuriken X or an exploding X at Sorel and hope that they would make contact. Even when they did hit Sorel, they seemed to do minimal damage to Slade's powerful lieutenant, and even after taking a direct hit to the face by an exploding X, Sorel still rushed forward, a fiery bow appearing in his hands. From the bow of flames he shot several flaming arrows, which Red X dodged with quite a bit of difficulty.

__

"His attacks are so quick... it's hard to get out of the way of most of these!" thought Red X, rolling away from a fire arrow and into a powerful jet of flame shooting from the floor. The flames singed him only briefly, but still caused Red X a great deal of pain, and he collapsed to one knee, just as another of Sorel's flaming arrows flew straight at his leg. "Damn!"

"You can't dodge me for long," said Sorel, "and even if you do, it'll get so hot in this room that you'll be cooked alive!"

__

"I hate to admit it, but he's right..." thought Red X, the air forming waves in front of him as the heat in the room grew more and more prominent. Sorel's fire bow disappeared, and a horizontal jet of flames shot forth from his hands, scorching the ground just in front of Red X's feet. Red X leapt back, almost jumping into another burst of flame from the floor. The sharp sting of heat on his back informed him of his close call, and he let out a gasp as another blast of flame from Sorel's hands shot right at him. Barely able to escape the double flame blast, Red X ran over to the nearby wall and pressed himself against it.

"I can see it in your eyes, Sanza... you know you can't win... just give up and complete your final mission!" shouted Sorel. Flames ceased shooting up from the floor, and instead, manifested as three rings of fire that surrounded Sorel's body, moving up and down as he floated between them. "Otherwise, I won't hesitate to kill you!"

"I knew that already," said Red X, pointing his palms at Sorel.and blasting each of the three rings with an X. The Xs blew up on contact with the rings, creating a bright red gas that surrounded both Sorel and the fire rings, engulfing them both. _"The gas will smother the fire... maybe I can put Sorel out this way..."_

But Sorel leapt out of the gas cloud, his fists surrounded with fire. He began punching Red X repeatedly on the chest and face, a burning barrage that relentlessly battered the young thief, both bruising and scalding where Sorel's fists made contact.

"I'll just pummel you into oblivion, then!" shouted Sorel, laughing as he threw a punch that connected with Red X's face. After just a dozen punches, Red X slumped against the wall, unmoving. Sorel stopped his flurry of punches and looked down at the seemingly unconscious Red X, a smile crossing his face. "That's it? A few punches and you're out for the count? Well, I guess it's exactly what I'd expect from someone like you... now, do I kill you, or-"

Suddenly, Red X's fist slammed into Sorel's groin. Red X wasn't unconscious after all, and Sorel cried out in pain, his hands flying to the affected area. Red X smiled and rolled between Sorel's legs, into the center of the room. Sorel quickly turned around, his face red with rage.

"That was the last attack you're going to get!" shouted Sorel, angrily dashing toward Red X. Without hesitation, Red X leapt back, slapped an X onto the ground, then began running clockwise to his left.

__

"I can't stop him... so maybe I can contain him," thought Red X, slapping another X down on the ground and continuing to run in a circle, toward the area right across from where he'd placed his first X. Sorel, now catching on, leapt at Red X and blasted him with a ball of flame, which he leapt over and threw a third X onto the ground, right across from the first one. _"Just one more to go..."_

"I don't know what you think you're doing, but it's not going to work!" shouted Sorel, standing in the exact spot where Red X was trying to run to, directly across from the second X he'd placed. Before Red X could turn back around, Sorel grabbed him by the neck and flung him back into the far wall, then stalked over to him as he painfully tried to stand.

__

"Just... one more... just need to place one more..." thought Red X, before Sorel grabbed him by the neck again and pinned him to the wall. He squeezed tightly down on Red X's neck, a ball of flame appearing in his other hand. _"Deja vu..."_

"I'm going to shove this right down your scrawny throat, and you'll burn from the inside!" shouted Sorel, thrusting his fist toward Red X's face.

As Sorel's arm, flame in hand, began rushing toward his head, Red X could see it only in slow motion. Eerily similar to the attack Red Raven had nearly been able to finish him off with, it began bringing back the painful memories of all of Red X's past weakness.

__

"It's not going to end like this..." thought Red X, as he leapt up from the ground, his legs soaring up into the air. _"Because I won't let it!"_

With all the strength he had left, Red X slammed his feet into Sorel's chest. The powerful kick knocked Sorel back into the center of the room, the powerful flame still in his hands. Red X reached down to the ground and fired a fourth X just a few feet in front of him, the Xs making the shape of a diamond on the ground. A red Xynothium energy dome suddenly appeared in the middle of the room around where the Xs had been placed, trapping Sorel in the center. Red X stood up and placed his hands on his hips, while Sorel angrily tossed the fireball he was holding in his hand. The fireball slammed into the side of the Xynothium dome, but the powerful barrier held... Sorel was trapped.

"Why you... you little bastard!" shouted Sorel, firing a jet of flame outward toward the barrier. Again, the barrier held... and the heat from the flames had nowhere to go but inside the barrier.

"Who's weak now, Sorel?" asked Red X, watching as Sorel blasted the barrier with fireballs and heat rays, trying anything to tear down the mighty Xynothium dome. But it continued to hold, and before Sorel realized it, he'd trapped himself inside of a furnace. The heat from all of Sorel's attempts to escape remained inside the huge dome of Xynothium, and he could feel his clothes starting to catch fire.

"What... NO!" screamed Sorel, trying to put out the flames, but realizing to his horror that his entire outfit had caught fire, and inside the dome there was no way to put it out. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

Red X suddenly took a step back... the room itself was hot, but inside the dome, the temperature had reached several hundred degrees, and Sorel was literally being burned alive. His entire body lit up with flame, and his eyes grew wide and horrified.

"HELP ME!" Sorel screamed, his mouth twisted in an anguished cry.

__

"You did this to yourself," thought Red X, but he couldn't listen to Sorel's screams for much longer before realizing that even one of Slade's lieutenants didn't deserve to die such an agonizing death. If he let Sorel die, he'd be a murderer... he'd be stooping to Sorel's level. Immediately, he ran over to one of his Xs and started trying to remove it from the ground, but it held tight. Meanwhile, Sorel continued to burn inside the dome, and he collapsed to his knees, still screaming in agony.

"LET ME OUT! Let me out, you sick son of a bitch! HELP ME!"

With a great deal of effort, Red X finally pried the X from the ground. The dome disappeared, and a wave of heat rushed out, blasting Red X into the wall. When he looked up, he saw Sorel's badly burned body lying face down on the ground, unmoving. One look at Sorel's charred form told Red X that he was too late... Sorel had been burned alive.

Red X stood up and traced the Sign of the Cross on his chest, sighing as the room temperature quickly returned to its normal level. He'd done it... he'd defeated Sorel... and no longer would he have to put up with any further missions from his former master.

At least, one of his former masters... though Sorel was dead, Slade was still very much alive... and Red X knew he wouldn't be happy that one of his lieutenants had been killed.

__

"I need to end this now..." thought Red X, looking toward the elevator at the opposite side of the room, breathing heavily with exhaustion. _"I need to take out Slade..."_

But Red X was in no shape to fight. The battle with Sorel had sapped nearly every bit of strength that he had, and instead of taking a step toward the elevator, he collapsed to the floor, removing his mask and staring up at the ceiling.

"I need to... catch my breath..." Sanza gasped, his chest rapidly heaving up and down. "I need to... I need to... need to rest..."

And with that, Sanza closed his eyes and slipped into unconsciousness. He didn't hear a soft crunch under his back... the sound of Robin's tracer being crushed into pieces.

O-O-O

The Titans' pursuit of Slade had led them all over the city, with all five of them barely keeping sight of Slade as he leapt from building to building. While Starfire, Beast Boy, and Raven pursued Slade through the air, Robin and Cyborg ran through the streets and alleyways, doing ground surveillance.

Finally, the Titans could see Slade leaping down into a vacant lot surrounded by tall buildings. He seemingly had nowhere to go, and the five Titans soon surrounded him, backing him up against a brick wall.

"It's over, Slade," said Robin, angrily pointing his bo staff at Slade's chest. "Come quietly, or fight."

"I've got far more important things to do," replied Slade, just as a flash of lightning shot through the sky. Rain began falling in the alley, but all five Titans remained focused on Slade, determined to keep him from escaping.

"You won't get away, Slade," said Raven, still bitter as she recalled how Slade had helped her father Trigon re-enter the world. "Whatever you have planned, we're going to stop you..."

"Pathetic Titans," said Slade, still as casual as ever. "You're just mad that I've already completed half of what I set out to accomplish."

"Enough talk, Slade!" shouted Robin, leaping at Slade with a flying kick. Robin's foot slammed into Slade's face... which suddenly disappeared, along with the rest of him. Robin's foot continued on until it hit hard against the brick wall, sending waves of pain through Robin's entire leg. He hit the ground hard, his ankle badly twisting beneath him. "Slade!"

The pain in Robin's voice told Starfire that he'd been badly hurt, and the orange alien quickly rushed to his side, her hands gently rubbing his ankle.

"Yo, dude... what the heck just happened? Did Slade teleport or something?" Beast Boy shouted.

"No," Cyborg said, shaking his head. "That wasn't Slade at all... that was a hologram."

A loud clap of thunder drowned out Robin's angry, frustrated scream.

"Please, calm yourself..." said Starfire, but Robin stood up and began hobbling out of the alley.

"We've gotta go back to that refinery," said Robin, taking out his T-Com and checking on the location of his transponder dot. When no dot appeared, Robin 'huh'ed in surprise.

"That's strange..." Raven said, looking over Robin's shoulder. "The trace dot you planted on X is no longer giving his location..."

"He must've found the tracer and destroyed it," said Robin, anger clearly evident in his voice. He'd lost Slade, he'd lost Red X... he could go back to the refinery, but it was likely that neither Slade nor Red X would be there when he arrived. "Guys... let's just go back to the tower... we already found out what Slade's plan is... half of it, anyway."

The Titans made a quick return to the refinery parking lot to regain their vehicles. While they were there, Starfire took one last look at the large structure, wondering if perhaps Red X was still inside.

"Please... may we make a brief check and see if the Red X is-"

"He's not there, Starfire," said Robin. "That's where the tracer has him located at... if he destroyed the tracer, he would've obviously gone somewhere else to get us off his trail. He's not here, Star... but don't worry, we'll get him... just like we'll get Slade."

__

"Red X as Slade's apprentice..." thought Beast Boy, as he transformed into a falcon and followed the four Titans back to the Tower. _"If he knew what happened to Terra, he'd never want the job..."_

O-O-O

Meanwhile, up in his chamber at the top of the Tekita Refinery, Slade watched as Sanza slept in the elevator room, having seen the incredible potential in having an apprentice like Red X. He liked everything he saw.

__

"Excellent, my young apprentice... soon you will be ready to help me take over the city... and destroy the Teen Titans in the process."

O-O-O

Sanza stood up after having been unconscious on the floor of the elevator room for nearly an hour. He rubbed his head and glanced over at the charred body of Sorel, still lying on the floor in the center of the room. He groaned, put on his Red X mask, and took another look at the elevator leading up to Slade's chambers.

__

"I should end this now... before any more harm comes to my family..."

But Red X knew he couldn't beat Slade. He'd barely beaten Sorel, and even though he wondered how anyone could be any more powerful than _that_, he knew somehow that Slade was..._much _more powerful.

He wouldn't beat Slade... but was that really the only way for Red X to save his family? X hadn't attacked Slade, just Sorel... and as long as his family was alive, Slade still had use for him as an apprentice.

__

"If he kills them, he makes an enemy of me... as long as they're alive, I could still work for him..." thought Red X, turning back toward the elevator leading to the exit. _"But... as long as I'm working for Slade, my own life will be in danger..."_

Red X couldn't protect his family as Slade's apprentice. Instead, he'd be doing the dirty work for a master criminal... and a man X truly despised.

There was another solution... a solution that had briefly come up in Red X's mind earlier that night. But the solution would come at a cost... a cost that was the reason Red X had taken the suit in the first place.

__

"I could ask the Titans for help..." thought Red X. _"Not help to protect my family... just help to beat Slade."_

Red X shuddered. Asking the Titans for help went against everything he stood for... or at least everything he thought he stood for. But that was before Slade had contacted him... before he was forced to become Slade's apprentice.

Sorel was dead, which meant no more missions. Red X would begin training as Slade's apprentice...

__

"No... NO!" thought Red X, shaking his head. _"I'll never be Slade's apprentice... but if he threatens my family... if he hurts them..."_

The rain had reduced itself to a light drizzle as Red X stumbled out of the refinery, still weighing his options in his head... weighing two opinions that repulsed him more than he could possibly imagine.

Red X thought of going home to his family... Maddy and his mother were probably extremely worried about him, and they'd definitely be shaken up from their experiences with the Sladebots.

The mere thought of the Sladebots threatening X's family made him clench his fist... had he not been wearing his mask, he would've spat onto the ground. He hated Slade hundreds of times more than he hated the Teen Titans... _millions _of times more.

With these thoughts of hatred in mind, Red X ran out into the night.

O-O-O

The Titans gathered in the main room of their tower. Robin lay down on the couch as Raven healed his badly twisted ankle. Starfire and Beast Boy sat on another couch, while Cyborg sat in front of the television, facing the rest of the group.

"Now that we know exactly why Red X has been doing what he's doing, we can figure out the best way to stop him," said Cyborg.

"And Slade," Robin added, a scowl still on his face. How could he have been so stupid? Slade was right under his nose, but he'd been too busy trying to stop Red X to see past him and look at the big picture. Now, the combined threat of Red X and Slade seemed almost as bad as the combined threat of Trigon and Slade just a few weeks earlier... Red X, a ruthless criminal with seemingly no qualms about getting his way, as Slade's apprentice? He could be more dangerous than Terra...

"We must warn Red X about the dangers of being an apprentice for Slade," said Starfire.

"I agree," replied Raven, sensing the painful memory of Terra forming within Beast Boy's mind. "Red X is bad, but he's not evil like Slade..."

"We're taking both of them down," said Robin, "starting first thing tomorrow."

A knock at the Titans' door, an unusual occurrence, especially past midnight. Robin started to stand, but Raven gently stopped him, almost done with the healing of his twisted ankle. Instead, it was Starfire who floated over to the door, pressing a button on the keypad that triggered it to begin opening up.

"I wonder who it could-"

Starfire gasped when she saw who was standing at the door in front of her. Someone she'd simultaneously despised and felt sympathy for... both captor and savior, now standing just a few feet in front of her.

"I... need your help," said Red X, without even a hint of malice in his voice.

O-O-O

Yep, Red X has finally come a-knockin', right at the Teen Titans' door! But how will they react? Will Robin punch him out? Will he score with Starfire? Will I ever write another short chapter again? Find out, same Titans time, same Titans channel!


	13. Sanza's Shocker

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Teen Titans. If I did, this would be on TV and not here.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This doesn't take place in the same storyline as my "Forced Base" and "Fractured Heart" stories, so forget those when you're reading this. Also, this takes place after the fourth season, so anything that happens in the show after that isn't applicable to this. Also, about Sanza/Red X: When he's wearing the mask, he's Red X. When he's not, he's Sanza. Simple as that.

O-O-O

Starfire didn't know whether to gasp or scream. All that she knew was that Red X was at the door of Titans Tower, asking for the Teen Titans' help. Before the Tamaranian could make a single move, however, another of the Teen Titans stepped in front of her.

"Look, dude, I don't know what kinda stuff you're trying to pull this time, but you'd better get out of here!" Beast Boy shouted, pointing a finger in Red X's face. "If I wasn't in the middle of a video game, I'd totally kick your-"

"Please, Beast Boy..." said Starfire, gently nudging her green friend out of the way.

"No, that's all right... I know how you guys probably feel about me," said Red X. "But I'm not here to fight, or to steal anything-"

"That's kind of hard to believe," said Raven, floating up to the door. "For the past four days, all you've been doing is stealing from us or fighting us. In fact-"

Suddenly, Robin pushed his way out in front of the other Titans. He withdrew his bo staff, extending it and pointing the tip in Red X's face. His eyes narrowed with anger, and his lips curved into a cold, bitter scowl.

"Get out," said Robin, his teeth clenched. "We know that you've been working for Slade."

"Not by choice," Red X replied. "I want to help-"

"The last apprentice of Slade's that we trusted turned around and betrayed us in just a little less than two weeks," said Robin. "Who's to say he's not making you come here to gain our trust?"

Red X sighed. He knew Robin would put up the most resistance... he was the leader of the Titans, he had every reason to.

"Maybe I am just here to betray you," said Red X, putting his hands on his hips. "But let's look at it this way. Either it'll be me and you against Slade, or me and Slade against you. If you don't help me, it'll definitely be me and Slade against you. But if you do help me... if you can trust me just for a little while... you might get lucky and make a new teammate for a few days."

It was a harsh choice, but Robin couldn't help but accept the reality of Red X's words. Maybe he was telling the truth... maybe he DID want to help the Titans fight Slade. Maybe for the first time since the battle with Dr. Chang, Red X and the Teen Titans had a common enemy...

"Maybe you should come in and tell us how you and Slade got together in the first place," said Cyborg. "Then if we believe your story-"

"No," said Robin, his staff still pointed at Red X's face. "You're not setting one foot in this tower... we're not letting you get in any sort of position where you could undermine this team!"

"Well, look at you... 'undermine' the team... what the hell could I possibly undermine?" asked Red X, shooting a brief glance in Starfire's direction. "You worried I won't be able to keep my hands off your girl?"

"You listen here, Red X... I am perfectly capable of keeping your hands off me myself!" said Starfire indignantly. "And if you continue to speak rudely to us, you might not receive our help at all!"

Clearly, this was going nowhere. Robin was showing no signs of allowing Red X to even enter the tower, and it looked like even Starfire would be a tough sell. Red X looked down at the ground, another sigh escaping his lips. It was a bad idea to come to Titans Tower and ask the Teen Titans' help... especially after all he'd already done to them.

"All I'm asking is for you to help me," said Red X, starting to turn around. "But if you don't want to, I guess we'll just be seeing each other again soon... when I'm Slade's newest apprentice."

Red X turned and began to walk away. Robin retracted his bo staff and stared at X as he left, an angry look still on the Boy Wonder's face. Meanwhile, Raven, Beast Boy, and Cyborg turned away from the door and went back to their previous activities.

Meanwhile, Starfire, who'd just berated Red X for being rude, took a step forward and watched Red X as he slowly walked out into the rain, his head unbowed, his body straight. He was leaving with his dignity intact... but Starfire could still sense the sadness in his steps as he walked.

__

"He really needs our help..." thought Starfire, her hand trembling as she placed it to her lips. _"And we... we are turning him away... that is not what the Teen Titans do!"_

"C'mon, Star..." said Robin, placing his hand on her shoulder. "I know he might seem like he needs our help, but he's Slade's apprentice now... this has to be some kind of tr-"

"Wait!" shouted Starfire, her hand reaching out toward Red X. He stopped walking and turned around, his eyes staring directly into Starfire's. "Please... tell us why you have chosen to be Slade's apprentice..."

"Starfire, what are you doing?" asked Robin, a hint of concern in his voice. "It could be a trick!"

"I do not believe so..." said Starfire as Red X slowly began walking back toward the tower. "He just seems... he seems like he is telling the truth."

__

"It would be too easy to trick them..." thought Red X, now a few steps away from the tower's entrance. _"It almost makes me wish I was actually trying something..."_

"I don't know why, but Starfire seems to trust you," said Robin, "so you can come in and explain your story. But if you try anything-"

"You'll kick my ass, I know, I know," said Red X, walking past Robin and Starfire and into the main room of the tower. Not surprisingly, it looked almost identical to how it had looked when Red X had visited just a few months ago as Sanza Salazar. As soon as he entered the tower, Beast Boy and Cyborg looked up from the couch, their mouths opening wide in shock. Raven, standing over by the stairs, briefly looked Red X's way.

"I thought we couldn't trust him," said Raven, her arms across her chest. "What made you change your mind?"

"Starfire," Robin replied, as Red X looked around the room. When his gaze returned to Robin, Robin pointed him toward the couch. "Have a seat."

As Red X walked over, Beast Boy and Cyborg shifted to each side of the couch to allow Red X to sit between them. Skeptical for a few seconds, Red X finally sat down, ignoring stares he received from his two couchmates. By now, Raven and Starfire had walked over to the couch, standing just behind it and looking down at Red X. Robin walked over to the front of the couch, remaining standing as he continued to ponder whether or not he was doing the right thing by letting Red X into the tower.

"I guess I should probably start talking now," said Red X, looking back and forth at Beast Boy and Cyborg before facing Robin. "As you probably know, I've been in contact with Slade for the past few days."

"Tell me," said Starfire, "because this has been bothering me for quite some time... did Slade order you to kidnap me at the museum?"

Red X could tell that Starfire obviously believed that he was either incapable of or unwilling to capture the girl on his own. He briefly considered lying to her, but realized that a large part of trust his truth, and that he should probably start coming clean with the Titans now in order to avoid further problems down the road.

"Kid, I grabbed you because I wanted to grab you, not because Slade told me to," said Red X. A disappointed and slightly sad sigh from Starfire told Red X that that was obviously not what she'd wanted to hear. Meanwhile, the frown on Robin's face grew slightly angrier, and his gaze narrowed.

"Why'd you take her?" asked Robin. "If Slade didn't tell you to, then why?"

"I thought this was about why I've been working for Slade," said Red X, not wanting to have to answer a question that even he himself wasn't quite sure of, "not your personal vendetta against me."

"It's an important question," said Robin, "because if you kidnapped Starfire once, you might do it again."

"Robin, drop it," said Raven, not wanting the interrogation to turn into an argument or even a fight. She too wasn't sure of whether or not to trust Red X, but if he and Robin had a huge argument right off the bat, the situation could deteriorate in a hurry.

"Fine," said Robin, returning to the main line of questioning. "When exactly did Slade first contact you?"

"When I had Starfire still with me," said Red X. "He told me to fight you, and so I did. Obviously, it didn't work out as I had hoped... I was supposed to kill you."

"You were supposed to _what_?" shouted Robin, his eyes widening in disbelief. _"So that's why he seemed so desperate to beat me... it wasn't about Starfire, it was about killing me..."_

"I didn't want to kill you, so I let Starfire go to distract you so I could make my escape. Obviously, this didn't make Slade very happy, but I don't give a damn about what makes _him _happy, just what's best for me."

"And what's best for you is having a rapsheet that doesn't include murder one," said Robin, who seemed to be getting more and more agitated by the second. Starfire noticed this, and quickly interposed a comment of her own.

"Thank you..." said Starfire, "for freeing me-"

"Consider it my one good deed for the month," replied Red X, "and don't expect it to happen again."

"So let me guess... Slade's also the one who sent you to steal our stuff, right?" asked Cyborg.

"Of course," said Red X. "You don't think I'd actually go into a freaky place like Raven's psychotic mind on my own volition, now do you? I was sent to take five things: a feather from Beast Boy, the chip from your car, Raven's mirror, a lock of Starfire's hair, and Robin's mask. After I got those things, Slade would start training me as his apprentice."

Red X's statement confirmed what Robin had already suspected... the items were of little value to Slade except as tools to gauge Red X's battle readiness. Clearly, by retrieving them all, X had proved his worth and that he could go toe-to-toe with the Titans on numerous occasions.

"So then... why'd you come here?" asked Robin, still skeptical that Red X hadn't been sent to Titans Tower on yet another of Slade's missions. "You got everything on your list but the mask... you didn't come here to get that, did you?"

"I'm not so sure Slade wants it anymore," Red X replied. "Actually, it wasn't quite Slade who wanted the items... it was one of Slade's lieutenants, a man by the name of Sorel. You haven't met him, and now you won't ever, because he's dead."

"Did you... did you kill him?" asked Beast Boy. "Is that why you-"

Red X shook his head, though he knew that he was at least partially responsible for Sorel's death, if still unintentionally.

"He killed himself trying to get to me after I didn't return Robin's mask to him like he asked," said Red X. "I'm not sure whether Slade's mad at me or not, but I didn't want to risk it. That's why I came here. I can't beat Slade on my own, as much as I'd like to say I could... I'm a thief, I'm not a fighter. But you guys have beaten Slade before... you guys have what it takes to-"

"Protect you from Slade..." said Starfire, finishing Red X's sentence.

"That's... not exactly how I'd put it," said Red X, shaking his head. "I don't need protection, just help. Help to beat Slade and to get him off my back. I'm Red X, I don't work for anyone... I don't want to be Slade's apprentice."

"Then why did you do all that stuff he told you to do?" asked Beast Boy. "I mean, if Slade asked me to be his apprentice, I'd just flat-out refuse him, or turn into an elephant and stomp his butt!"

"Yeah, if you didn't want to work for Slade, why'd you do all that stuff for him?" asked Cyborg. "Were you just trying to mess with him, or-"

"I had no choice," replied Red X, sadly bowing his head. "It's hard to explain, but-"

"Who are you?" asked Robin, taking a step closer to Red X. "What do you have that Slade can take away if you don't do what he says? I had my friends, Terra had powers that she couldn't control... what about you? Why-"

Red X stood up, walking away from the other Titans and toward the center of the room.

"I told you," said Red X, looking back at the Titans. "If I wanted you to know who I was, I wouldn't be wearing a mask."

If the Titans found out Red X's identity, as soon as they were done with Slade, maybe even before, they could have him arrested... his family would find out, he'd be ashamed... he'd come to get the Titans' help, nothing more. If he lost his anonymity, the Titans would never leave him alone... they were already angry at him for taking the suit from their tower, and if they knew who he was...

"Please..." said Starfire, floating over to Red X and putting her hand on his shoulder. She now had a great deal of concern in her voice, and Red X knew that he'd made a mistake by telling the Titans that he had no choice but to help Slade. "We wish to help... do you trust us?"

"Trust?" chuckled Red X, pushing Starfire's hand away. "You were about to beat the crap out of me before I even came in here. There's no way that any of you trust me, so how am I supposed to trust any of you?"

Robin knew how vicious of a master that Slade was... there was no way that anyone, even someone like Red X could be working for him completely by choice. Ever since the Red X suit had been stolen from Titans Tower, Robin desperately wanted to know who could possibly have taken it. Red X's mood, his personality... none of the villains the Titans fought, even Slade, were anything like him.

But Robin also knew that whoever had taken the suit was a criminal... someone who'd have to be taken to jail. Red X wasn't stupid... he wasn't going to take off his mask and reveal himself as soon as he entered the tower.

"You're right... we don't trust you, and we probably won't for a very, very long time... maybe ever," said Robin. "But unless we know exactly why you feel so compelled to work for Slade, we can't possibly trust you to fight with us against him. If you can't tell us who you are, at least tell us why... why Slade was able to make you do all the things he told you to do."

Red X turned back toward the Titans. He looked over at Robin, whose expression had softened... then turned to Starfire, a look of concern still reflected in her beautiful face.

"You don't have to lift up the mask," said Raven, "just lift up the barrier you've placed around your mind. If you can trust us a little bit, we'll trust you a little bit. I know what it's like to guard a secret... you think that there's no one in the world who'll be able to help you. But we're the Teen Titans, and we can always help, even someone we've fought before."

"That's right..." said Beast Boy, thinking of Terra as he spoke. "Everybody's got at least a little good in them-"

"Shut up... just shut up," said Red X, raising his hand to silence Beast Boy. He sighed again, realizing that his secret... the secret that compelled him to fight and that compelled him to obey Slade was a part of him, a part of him that he couldn't reveal without revealing himself as well.

If he removed his mask... he was showing the Titans that he trusted them quite a bit, and the more he trusted them, the more they could trust him.

Plus, maybe they'd be reluctant to have someone as young as they were sent to jail, or at least he could hope. He'd already come all the way to Titans Tower... and it was time to come all the way clean.

"I've seen you before..." said Red X, now trying to lead the Titans on a guessing game before he revealed his identity. "You saved my life once... not too long ago."

"Inside Raven's mirror?" asked Starfire. Red X shook his head.

"You saved _my _life... the life of the person behind this mask," said Red X. "A villain, attacking somewhere in the city... my life was put in danger, and-"

"We don't have any time for games," said Robin. "We've saved a lot of people before."

"The villain was Mumbo Jumbo, and he'd attacked my sister and I... now do you know who I am, Titans? That day in the magic shop? That was the day that Red X as you knew him was born."

Red X lifted his hands to the corners of his mask, and slowly began to lift it from his face. But Starfire, having listened to Red X's clues, already knew whose face she'd see when he lifted the mask. She remembered that day, and the boy she'd freed from the magic shop door.

"My name is Sanza Salazar," said Sanza, his mask in his left hand. Raven, Beast Boy, and Cyborg were all surprised, but the most shocked Titan of all was Robin... and he once again flared up with rage.

"I don't believe it!" Robin shouted, angrily storming over to Sanza with his fists clenched. "We let you into the tower, only to have you steal-"

"Dude, I thought you said you were going to the bathroom!" Cyborg shouted.

"What did you think I was doing for a half hour, taking a dump?" asked Sanza, a smirk on his face. "I got done in the bathroom, so I tried to get back here, but I ended up getting lost and stumbling on this suit."

"Why, Sanza?" asked Starfire. "Why did you take the suit from us? You certainly knew that it was not yours!"

"I want answers," said Robin, "or I'm taking you straight to jail."

__

"I knew this would happen..." thought Sanza, knowing that the Titans' anger would incur retribution on him. And it wasn't like he didn't deserve it... he'd stolen something that belonged to the Teen Titans, and used it to commit even more crimes. He knew he should be going to jail... but _should _he? Should he go to jail just for trying to protect his family?

"That day, at the magic shop..." said Sanza, walking back over to the couch and sitting down, "was one of the worst days of my life... my sister was attacked, and there was nothing I could do to protect her."

"But we came... and we saved her... is that not good enough?" asked Starfire. "I am sure that you did all you-"

"That's the problem!" shouted Sanza, pointing at all of the Titans. "You all came... you all came and saved her, saved us, but... I'm Maddy's big brother! It's supposed to be _my _job to protect her! So when I came to the tower and I saw this suit... saw everything that it could do, and all the power it would give me-"

"But it wasn't yours," Robin said sternly. "Don't you even know the danger that you put people in? That you put yourself in?"

"That you put your family in," said Raven, having put two and two together. "Slade threatened your family... that's why you had to do what he said, isn't it?"

Sanza nodded, his face bowing into his hands.

"When I first took this suit, the gadgets stopped working... so then I found out that I needed Xynothium to fuel it. I found out where the Xynothium shipments were, and... started stealing them. It felt incredible... the rush, the feeling of excitement you get when you're in danger, being chased... the adrenaline..."

Robin knew that feeling well, having been ordered to steal by Slade during his brief stint as the evil mastermind's apprentice. But still, that didn't excuse everything Red X had done... including kidnapping Starfire.

"When Slade contacted me, I was going to tell him to go screw himself, but then he told me that he'd hurt my family if I didn't comply with his orders. That's why I came here..." said Sanza, letting out a long sigh. "I took this suit so that I wouldn't need the Titans to protect my family... but it looks like I do need you after all..."

The Titans still couldn't believe what they were hearing. Their Red X suit had been taken by a boy who couldn't be much older than many of them. And it hadn't been taken for money, or for power... Sanza had taken the suit to protect his family. All of the Titans, even Robin, could sympathize... but the fact remained. Sanza had committed a crime by taking the Red X suit.

Now, Sanza, a criminal, was asking for the Titans' help. He'd trusted them with the secret of his identity... but could they trust him? For all they knew, the story he'd concocted was a complete lie... or it could be the truth, and Sanza could be on another of Slade's missions, his family to be killed if he didn't infiltrate their tower.

__

"No wonder he liked me..." thought Starfire as she looked down at Sanza. He looked almost like a slightly darker version of Robin, except that Robin's hair was far spikier, and Sanza's face still had a long scar going down the side. The look of sadness on his face seemed genuine to Starfire, and she knew now why he'd been so scared at the fight with Robin. He'd been ordered into a fight to the death, and if he didn't win, his family would be killed. He was a kid who'd gotten caught up in something he couldn't get out of, almost like Robin when he'd been forced, like Sanza, to become Slade's apprentice. "I promise that we will do all that we can to help you..."

Sanza looked over at Starfire, her arms resting on the couch right next to Sanza's head. As he looked at her, she flashed him a brief, slight smile, and for the first time since Sanza had started telling the Titans his story, he smiled back.

"This was certainly unexpected," said Raven, "but I think you're telling us the truth... and that we share a common enemy."

"Yeah, it looks like you wanna take down Slade just as much as we do," said Cyborg, ready, at least temporarily, to accept Sanza as a comrade in arms.

Though Sanza had opened up his heart, and had revealed his face to the Titans, Robin still wasn't sure about helping him. He might not have been dangerous like Slade, but he still posed a threat, especially after all the times he'd attacked the Titans. Plus, he didn't seem like anyone worthy of the Titans' trust. After all, he'd stolen the Red X suit right out from under their noses... who knew what damage he could do if the Titans' trust had been misplaced again.

"Do you know where Slade is?" asked Robin. "You've been in contact with him, so I'll assume you do."

"The Tekita Refinery," said Sanza. "We can go there right now, or-"

"Not tonight," replied Robin, knowing that Slade would probably remain there, especially if he was using it as a factory to construct his deadly new tech. There were few places in Jump City that afforded him those kinds of resources, and even if he moved, the Titans could find him easily. "We need to rest up and start training tomorrow. Sanza, you're going to get a crash course in teamwork. Since you normally work alone, you need to realize that if you're going to fight with a team, you're going to have to know exactly how our team works or you're just going to get in the way."

"...we're making him a Teen Titan?" asked Beast Boy, looking over at Sanza. "I mean, I know he needs our help, but-"

"I'm not a Teen Titan, and I never will be," replied Sanza. "After all this is over, I'm gone. I won't do anything to you until we beat Slade, but afterward, I'm going to go back to being Red X... and Red X works alone."

"Then we'll just have to go back to trying to catch you," said Robin, "and taking you to jail. Until Slade's beaten, we won't bother you if you don't bother us. But afterward-"

"Then we have an agreement?" asked Sanza, extending his hand for Robin to shake. _"Please say yes..."_

Robin looked at Sanza's hand, wondering if he was really wise to be making such an agreement with a thief and criminal. Like Sanza said, after the battle with Slade, they'd go back to being enemies. Red X was hardly a Teen Titan... or even anywhere in the ballpark of being a Teen Titan.

But if they were going to work as a team, they'd have to get along... both Robin_ and _Red X. Who knows... maybe Red X would keep his end of the bargain.

Robin and Sanza shook hands as the other Titans looked on, all of them still slightly in shock at the new developments that had taken place. After all the searching, the battles, and the mystery, they knew exactly who Red X was and why he'd taken up the suit... and yet they still had no idea who Sanza Salazar was. Only that he was apparently one of the most crafty and skilled 16-year-olds they'd ever met... and that he had a mother and sister that he loved very much.

"Now, as for where you'll be sleeping while you're here..." said Robin, looking up the stairs. "Terra's old room is still available, no one's lived in it since-"

"That's fine, I'll sleep out here on the couch," said Sanza, patting the red upholstery with his hand. "Feels nice and comfy, and I don't even need a blanket because the suit keeps me warm."

__

"Does he think we're going to lock him in Terra's room while he sleeps or something?" thought Robin.

"But... the couch seems so... couchy," said Starfire, her elbows still resting on top of it. "Do you not wish to have a room of your own during your stay?"

"Those rooms are for Teen Titans, of which I am not," replied Sanza. "Right here on the couch is fine."

"Well, if you're gonna sleep on the couch, I'd best be getting up and letting you have it!" said Cyborg, standing up and yawning while stretching his arms. "I'm gonna go hit the sack..."

__

"Actually," thought Sanza, pulling down his glove and looking at his watch, which read '12:20', _"school's tomorrow and I should probably be getting some sleep too... and calling mom and Maddy, who are probably really worried about me..."_

Soon after Cyborg left, Robin, Raven, and Beast Boy exited the room as well, after Robin gave Sanza a stern warning about not trying to steal anything from the tower. That left Sanza and Starfire, who only stayed to confirm that Sanza did, in fact, want to sleep on the couch.

"Starfire, I'll be fine," said Sanza, taking out his cell phone and dialing his friend Rob's number. "You need to get some rest too... I know _you've _had a tough day."

Starfire nodded, but remained at the couch for several seconds, watching Sanza as he began to speak to his friend.

__

"He is just an ordinary teenage kid... like we would be if we didn't stay in the tower all of the time..." thought Starfire, looking down at Sanza with a hint of jealousy. _"He lives a real life... he has a mother and a sister who both care about him very much..."_

Starfire thought of her own sister Blackfire, who treated her with cruelty and malice. Even so, Starfire could still see herself risking her life to protect her sister, should the need ever arise.

She turned and floated away from Sanza, who was asking Rob to cover for him while he told his mother he was sleeping over at his house. Before she stepped through the door that led out of the main room, she took one last look over at Sanza on the couch.

__

"I love Blackfire, and would protect her even though she is cruel to me... so I can only imagine how much Sanza would want to protect his sister, because I distinctly remember her being extremely kind... perhaps I was right about you, Sanza... perhaps you are not a criminal at all..."

As soon as Starfire left, Sanza made a call to his house, hoping that Maddy or his mother would be awake to answer at the other end.

The phone rang three times before it was finally picked up, and a slightly nervous female voice replied at the other end.

"Hello?" said Sanza's mother, causing Sanza to breathe a sigh of relief.

"Mom, it's me... Sanza."

Sanza's mother gasped, her voice breaking up between her next few words.

"My God, Sanza, I was worried sick about you... when I didn't see you upstairs, I thought-"

"Mom, I'm really sorry... I snuck out when I saw those guys at our house, and ran over to Rob's," Sanza lied. "I shouldn't have left you there like that, but-"

"As long as you're safe, Sanza... I thought they might've kidnapped you or something, I was ready to call the police-"

"I'm just glad... that you and Maddy are fine, mom..." Sanza replied, almost allowing a sob to creep into his voice. "If you want me to come over... I know you and Maddy both want to see me again."

"It's all right, Sanza, you can stay at Rob's if you want... Maddy's asleep, and as long as I know you're safe... you know that school's tomorrow, right?"

"Yeah, I'm just about to go to bed... I just wanted to make sure you were both okay... I'm so glad..."

"And I'm glad you're safe too, Sanza," said his mother, sniffling as she spoke. "I... I'm just so happy to know you're all right..."

Sanza placed the phone on the desk next to the couch, leaning back and clutching his mask to his chest. He looked toward the ceiling, high above his head... his family was safe, and soon, he and the Teen Titans would be working together to end Slade's reign of terror once and for all.

He didn't know what would happen after that... only that he would protect his family, no matter what the cost... and when it came to Slade, even if the Teen Titans were helping him, Sanza would still have the last word.

__

"No one messes with my family..."

And before he realized it, Sanza slipped into slumber.

O-O-O

Robin came down to the main room nearly two hours later... the Tower was dark by now, and Sanza was fast asleep on the couch, the Red X mask resting between his hands and his chest. Quietly, Robin walked over to him, an angry frown on his face. He stared at Sanza for several seconds, wondering how and why a kid no older than he was could've possibly gotten the best of him... of all the Titans, and had stolen the Red X suit, bringing back a demon that Robin had hoped he'd never have to deal with again.

__

"It's your fault..." thought Robin, angrily staring into Sanza's closed eyes. _"That suit is nothing but trouble, and you're the reason it's back! You're asleep now... I can take the suit and take you to jail... it's right there... the suit is right there!"_

It would be easy for Robin to take the suit right off of Sanza's slumbering back. The suit and the mask... Robin could take them and burn them, keep Red X from ever returning to torment the Titans again.

But then he took another look at Sanza's face... the scar still across his right cheek, and how he'd gotten it fighting against Robin to keep Starfire captive... no, not to do that, not to hurt Starfire or anyone else... but to protect his family.

Sanza took the suit to protect his family, who he loved very much.

__

"Just like how I became Robin when my own family was killed..." thought Robin, thinking all the way back to his days as Dick Grayson, a member of the 'Flying Graysons', and how he'd seen his own family killed at the hands of criminals. _"If I'd have been Robin, maybe I could've protected them... that's why I became Robin in the first place..."_

And how Bruce Wayne, Robin's idol, almost a second father to him, became Batman because his parents were killed. Love can push a person to do incredible things... and for Sanza, almost losing his sister had pushed him to become Red X. Had the Titans not arrived to save her, Sanza might've been forced to witness his own sister's death... and it was then that Robin understood exactly why Sanza had become Red X... not to be a villain, but to be a hero... to protect innocent people, just like Dick Grayson had been thinking when he became Robin.

He pulled back his hand away from Sanza and slowly turned around, walking out of the main room. Robin still knew that Sanza was a thief, a thief who'd sometimes stolen for a thrill and not just out of necessity. The letter of the law stated that Sanza was a criminal... but Sanza certainly didn't have the heart of a criminal.

__

"Because if Sanza's a criminal," thought Robin, as he took the elevator back up to his room, _"then that makes me a criminal too..."_

O-O-O

Sanza awoke to see the first rays of the sun, shining down on his face. He sleepily looked at his watch, which read '6:20'. Standing up, he let his Red X mask fall down on the couch as he rubbed his eyes. He could already hear the sounds of activity within the tower, and could faintly detect a scent that smelled suspiciously like eggs... or at least something close to it. Wearily, he walked toward the source of the smell, which seemed to be coming from the kitchen. There, he saw Cyborg seated at the table, and Beast Boy with a frying pan in his hand, standing over a hot stove.

"Well, good morning, Red X... or Sanza, or whatever you want us to call you," said Cyborg. With a sigh, Sanza glanced over at him.

"When I'm wearing the mask, I'm Red X. When I'm not, I'm Sanza," said Sanza, looking over at Beast Boy. The food in the frying pan looked like eggs, but upon closer look, he could see that the egg whites were slightly... browner than a normal egg white should be. "And I think you might've burned those eggs."

"This is tofu," said Beast Boy, eager to explain his dietary habits to the new temporary resident of the Tower. "I'm a vegetarian, so I don't eat anything that comes from an animal. Milk, meat, and eggs."

"So... you're a vegan then," said Sanza, correcting Beast Boy. "Vegetarians don't eat meat or eggs. Vegans are vegetarians that don't eat _anything _that comes from an animal."

"...whatever," replied Beast Boy, flipping the tofu eggs on his frying pan. "Just so you know, I'm making some for you too, so you'd better like it."

"Eh, my mom makes me eat tofu on Friday when I'm in the house," said Sanza, "because I'm a Catholic, and the only meat we can eat on Fridays is fish. You... do know what a Catholic is, right?"

"A religion centered around the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, as told by the doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church and not affiliated with Christian denominations as formed after Martin Luther's Protestant Reformation," came a voice behind Sanza, which he immediately identified as Raven's. He turned around to see the blue-cloaked girl standing in the door, a serious look on her face. "And just so you know, I'm only trusting you because I can tell how much you genuinely love your sister Maddy."

Raven, who'd been reluctant to trust Terra when she'd appeared at the tower, and thus the most infuriated by Terra's betrayal, had also wondered about whether or not she should trust Sanza. It was the heartfelt, genuine nature of his story that swayed her, as well as the fact that she'd seen in Sanza the same familial devotion that she'd seen during her brief trip into Robin's mind. Terra didn't have a family to protect like Sanza did... thus, Raven could more easily believe that Sanza's motives weren't entirely criminal.

"I'm surprised you know so much about religious stuff, Raven..." Beast Boy commented, "since you're deep into the whole goth thing and all..."

"Said the guy who wanted to move to England just so he could put 'Jedi' as his religion on his census form," said Raven, not missing a beat.

"As long as you're here, you do what Robin says. He's the leader, and even though I sometimes disagree with his judgment, he's still pretty good at it," said Cyborg to Sanza. "Plus, he probably knows more about that suit than you do, since he's the one who made it."

"I doubt it, since I've been using it for six months now," replied Sanza, turning back to Raven. "Speaking of Robin, you wouldn't happen to know where he is, would you? I'd like to patch a couple of things up with him."

"Upstairs, in his room," said Raven. "I'm not so sure if you should go see him right now..."

"I am sure," said Sanza, stepping out of the kitchen past Raven and walking toward the door at the end of the Titans' main room. "Elevator's down here and to the right, isn't it?"

"You should know, you've been here before," Raven said to him, not caring that he was already walking through the door. She walked into the kitchen and sat down across from Cyborg. "I've got a bad feeling about this..."

"About Sanza?" asked Cyborg, still a bit reluctant to trust the newcomer to the Tower, knowing that his desire to help the Titans could still be all one big ruse set up by Slade. "Me too, but Robin said-"

"Not about Sanza," replied Raven. "About Slade... about Slade needing a new apprentice... what exactly is Slade planning that he'd need to work with someone like Red X to accomplish?"

"He probably wants to destroy the city, just like he did when he forced Terra to work for him," said Beast Boy, using his spatula to try and extricate an egg from the pan.

"Maybe..." said Raven, "but what about his new base of operations? The factory he was using... the cannon that his robots apparently made. For what Slade's planning, he doesn't need just Red X... he needs an entire army."

O-O-O

Robin's encounters with Slade were varied and numerous, but he remembered them all vividly, far more vividly than any other villain he'd ever faced, even a psychotic criminal like the Joker. Slade was more dangerous than anyone back in Gotham... he'd nearly destroyed the city more times than Robin could remember, and had once helped Trigon to nearly destroy the world.

At least he had Red X off his mind... but not entirely, as he knew that Red X was now going to be helping the Titans to take out Slade. Or at least Robin hoped that Red X would help... having Red X in the Tower would put him in an easy position, like Terra before, to cause serious injury to the Titans and their Tower.

Robin could only hope that Red X's devotion to his family would come before his obligations as Slade's apprentice. The worst-case scenario was that Red X's family wasn't being threatened at all, that he was a willing accomplice... he'd admitted to kidnapping Starfire of his own accord, a sign that he might be willing to help Slade of his own accord as well.

__

"No, Robin... you were wrong about trusting Terra, but you won't be wrong about trusting Red X... besides, he's not even a Titan... he's just working with us until we beat Slade."

The door to Robin's room opened, and Robin, sitting at his desk and planning out just how the Titans and Red X could work together, turned toward the door, expecting to see Beast Boy inviting him downstairs for breakfast.

Instead, he saw Sanza, standing in the doorway with a frown on his face.

"Can I come in?" asked Sanza. Robin sighed before nodding his head, allowing Sanza to walk into the room. The door closed behind him, and Sanza sat down on the side of Robin's bed, glancing at the desk where Robin was working.

"Did you have a good night's sleep?" asked Robin. Sanza replied with a nod. "You know, I just about took the suit from you last night..."

__

"I should've expected he'd do something like that..." thought Sanza, realizing how foolish it had been for him to sleep without at least one eye open. "I get it, you still don't trust me. I understand, I haven't given you any reason to-"

"You took off your mask," said Robin. "That's one reason. That's the only reason. Had you not done that, I'd have been inclined to remove it myself."

Sanza smiled. His gesture of revealing his identity had worked... Robin trusted him just enough to allow him to keep his suit, at least until Slade was beaten.

"So... we're cool now, right?" asked Sanza.

"We shook on it, didn't we?" Robin replied, shifting in his chair so that he faced Sanza. "Until we beat Slade, you and the Titans are allies. That was our deal, and I plan to stick to it."

"So... the only way this deal can end is if I screw _you _over?"

Robin nodded, though his frown intensified slightly, annoyed that Sanza would even suggest such a thing.

"I don't intend to betray our deal," said Sanza. "Like I said... I need your help, as much as I hate to admit it."

Sanza stood up, now confident that Robin and the other Titans would hold up their end of the deal. But before he turned to leave, he knew that there was probably one thing that was still bothering Robin, and he wanted to address it. He looked straight into Robin's eyes, knowing that unless this last thing was addressed, there would still be an enormous amount of tension between the two of them.

"Starfire... about her, I... I would never intentionally hurt her," said Sanza, slightly bowing his head. "When I took her, I completely wasn't thinking, and-"

"If you want to apologize to someone, apologize to her and not to me," replied Robin, "if that's what you were going to do. If she can forgive you, then it's behind us. And if you're sincere with her, I'm pretty sure she'll forgive you. One more thing... you're fifteen, right?"

"Sixteen," said Sanza, a smirk on his face.

"You and I are the same age... so why the heck did you call me 'kid'?" asked Robin, now more puzzled than angry. Sanza's smirk grew into a full smile.

"If me calling you 'kid' automatically narrowed your list of suspects to anyone over the age of thirty, then it worked," said Sanza. "It took you six months to find out who I was, and only then after I showed you."

Robin leaned back in his chair with a sigh.

"And by the way," said Sanza, growing slightly more serious, "that emotion, that anger you have when someone puts Starfire in danger? Don't EVER let your enemies see that. They'll use that against you and it'll get both of you killed. The only reason I never used it against you is because I care about Starfire too damn much to hurt her just to get to you. But the rest of your enemies don't care, and they won't have any qualms about it. Especially some sick bastard like Slade... you let him know about your feelings for Starfire and I guarantee you that you'll both regret it."

Sanza's words were a shock to Robin, who stood up to reply only to have Sanza disappear behind a closed door. Sanza's words were harsh... but they were right, and Robin knew it. He sat back down in his chair, resting his elbows on his knees and looking down at the floor.

__

"A sixteen-year-old kid figured that out faster than any of the villains in Jump City..." thought Robin, who wasn't even sure that Slade knew about his overprotective nature around Starfire. _"Well, of course he was able to figure it out... he goes to high school, he probably sees crushes and relationships every day..."_

Turning back around in his chair, Robin hastily returned to his work.

"What does he know?" Robin muttered to himself. "Starfire and I don't have a relationship any different from what I have with the other Titans..."

And just like that, he was back to protecting her again...

O-O-O

__

"If you want to apologize to someone, apologize to her and not to me..."

Robin was right, Sanza needed to see Starfire a lot more than he needed to see Robin. But did he really want to apologize to her? Red X didn't apologize to anyone... Starfire was a Titan, Starfire was the enemy, Starfire was...

The kindest, most beautiful girl Sanza had ever seen.

__

"What the hell was that?" thought Sanza, rapidly shaking his head. _"Starfire's just like any other girl... and I don't have to apologize to her!"_

You apologized to Cleo...

"Now my conscience is trying to tell me what to do? Since when does Red X have a conscience?" thought Sanza, walking down the hall with his head bowed, staring at the floor. He walked past Starfire's room and back toward the elevator that would take him down to ground level. He didn't see Starfire as she emerged from the elevator and walked straight toward him.

The two bumped into one another and immediately leapt back.

"Sanza?" said Starfire, stunned to see him as she came out of the elevator. "What... why are you-"

"I came to talk to Robin, and now I'm going back downstairs to have breakfast," said Sanza. "And then I'm leaving to go to school."

"I thought you were going to be working with us now..." replied Starfire. "What happened to that?"

"I'm coming here right after school," said Sanza, scratching his head. "No, wait, I'm going to come home to say hi to my mom and sister, and _then _I'm coming here. Because I haven't seen them since yesterday, and they're probably worried..."

"Yes... yes, they probably are..."

Starfire's voice was calm, not angry at Sanza in the least, even though she'd been the one probably most affected by his actions. As the two awkwardly stood in the hall, neither of them willing to speak, Sanza's conscience decided to speak for him. Or at least what Sanza believed to be his conscience.

"Starfire, about everything, I... if I've ever hurt you, I'm really... what I meant to say was-"

"There is no need... I have already forgiven you," said Starfire, a warm smile on her face. "I have thought much about what has happened over the past few days, and I realize that you never once intended to harm me, even in the slightest... you were doing what Slade required of you, and nothing more."

"But when I kidnapped you, that was me!" said Sanza, pointing at himself. "Me, me, me, me! You're not still mad at me for that?"

"If we are going to fight Slade together, we must all work as a cohesive team... which means forgetting our past grudges and perhaps becoming friends," said Starfire, extending her hand out to Sanza. He looked at it and recoiled slightly, unsure of whether to actually take it, or kiss it, or...

"Starfire, after we beat Slade, you and I are going to be enemies. I'm still Red X, no matter what happens between now and when Slade goes down," said Sanza, though the look on his face told otherwise. Somewhere, deep within his heart, he wanted to be friends with the Titans... or at least with Starfire, who showed him kindness and acceptance when none of the other Titans would. "I'm addicted to stealing, you know? I'm going to be the world's greatest thief, and-"

"Tell me," said Starfire, her smile disappearing and her hands going to her hips. "Had Slade not contacted you after you abducted me, what would you have done to me?"

"Well, I guess... I guess I'd have ordered the Titans to leave me alone while I raided a jewelry store or something," said Sanza. "You'd have been a bargaining chip."

"And had they not done what you asked, what then?" asked Starfire. "What if they would have attacked you anyway? Would you have harmed me?"

Now Sanza knew what Starfire was trying to get at. She was trying to draw out some sort of response, trying to gauge Sanza's capability for evil... she was trying to see if Sanza really had the heart of a criminal.

"...of course not," said Sanza, resigning himself to telling Starfire the truth. "I'd have probably just left you somewhere for the Titans to find, and made extra-sure to take it out on Robin next time we fought."

"So... you would not have harmed me?" asked Starfire, watching as he started walking around her toward the elevator. "I am talking to you! Would you or would you not have-"

"No!" shouted Sanza, turning to face Starfire. "I'd never hurt you, because I... because I... because-"

"I see..." said Starfire, interrupting Sanza before he could finish. She continued to stand in the hallway, a blank look on her face as she watched Sanza turn back toward the elevator again. _"I knew it... but does he also know that Robin and I are...?"_

Sanza knew... and he also knew that his chances with Starfire were slim to none. He walked over to her, wondering what Starfire could possibly be thinking. He reached up to touch her face... then pulled back his hand, the sudden movement causing Starfire to look right at him, straight into his eyes.

"He... he cares about you... you know that, right?" asked Sanza. Starfire nodded, a smile crossing her face yet again.

"Robin and I... are probably closer than the other Titans... at least, that is what I understand... he has trouble expressing his feelings, but..."

__

"Good," thought Sanza, knowing that Robin's reluctance was a defense mechanism intended to protect Starfire. "I just thought I'd let you know... I'm sorry I bothered you."

Sanza turned back around and walked toward the elevator, knowing that he'd probably made a complete fool of himself in Starfire's presence. The last thing he expected was to feel Starfire's hand touch his shoulder as he stepped into the elevator.

"Please," said Starfire, only continuing to speak once Sanza had turned to face her, "consider... not stealing anymore... after we beat Slade. You are a kind person, and I know that you can be a wonderful friend, if you wish..."

Sanza frowned, but instead of turning away from Starfire, he leaned in and wrapped his arms around her, giving her a light hug. She returned the hug, her arms wrapping softly around his back.

"Thank you... for forgiving me," said Sanza, pulling away from Starfire and backing into the elevator, pressing the button to go back down. "If stealing ever stops giving me a thrill... I might give you guys a call."

As the elevator slowly descended to the ground level of Titans Tower, he leaned against the back wall and smiled.

__

"As if that'll ever happen," thought Sanza, having enjoyed very thoroughly just having 'stolen' a hug from Starfire. _"Sometimes, Star, you're just too damn nice for your own good..."_

After eating breakfast, Sanza put on his Red X mask before walking out of the tower and swimming across the bay back toward Jump City.

__

"Looks like I'm gonna be late for school today..." thought Red X, thinking about all the difficult training Robin and the other Titans were probably going to put him through. _"But if it all leads to kicking Slade's ass worse than it's ever been kicked before... than it's totally worth it."_

O-O-O

An alliance has been forged, loose as it may be... the Titans are getting ready for a battle with Slade, but will their newfound ally Red X be an asset or a liability? And how will Slade try to sway his new apprentice? If you think you've seen some amazing stuff so far, you're definitely in for a surprise!


	14. Double Jeopardy

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Teen Titans. If I did, this would be on TV and not here.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This doesn't take place in the same storyline as my "Forced Base" and "Fractured Heart" stories, so forget those when you're reading this. Also, this takes place after the fourth season, so anything that happens in the show after that isn't applicable to this. Also, about Sanza/Red X: When he's wearing the mask, he's Red X. When he's not, he's Sanza. Simple as that.

O-O-O

After a quick trip home to stash his Red X suit and retrieve his backpack, Sanza headed to school, knowing that he was to meet the Titans at their tower as soon as he got out.

He was late, so he missed most of his first-period class. His second-period class, gym, went rather smoothly. After a spirited game of wiffleball, Sanza went into the boys' locker room to change out of his gym clothes.

"That was a nice triple in the third inning, Sanza," said Sanza's friend Rob, who had mostly forgotten about the events of the past few days. Sanza seemed happier now, especially that he was out of detention and back on good terms with Cleo. "If you'd have hit the ball just a little harder..."

"It's impossible to get a home run in our gym," replied Sanza, removing his gym shirt and putting on a black t-shirt. "You've gotta hit over the first fifteen rows of bleachers... I haven't seen anybody do that all year."

"There's this kid in fourth period that does it all the time," said Rob, applying deodorant under his arms before he put his own shirt back on. "Or so I've heard..."

Sanza continued his conversation with Rob, relishing the opportunity for small talk that he finally was able to have after several days of detention, not to mention fighting the Teen Titans. Gym class was Sanza's favorite class, most likely because it didn't involve any actual paperwork, like all of his other classes. Plus, it gave him the least chances to get into trouble, and because he'd gotten fairly athletic from all his exploits as Red X, he could impress all of his friends with how good he was at the various games, including dodgeball, which he completely dominated. Because if you can dodge a Bat-a-Rang, a Starbolt, or a plasma blast, you can dodge a ball.

After most of the other kids had cleared out of the locker room, including Rob, Sanza put away the last of his gym clothes and walked slowly toward the door.

It was then that he noticed a shadow emerging from one of the showers, just around the corner from the rows of lockers. The shadow's shape was immediately recognizable to Sanza... the shadow belonged to Slade.

__

"Figures he'd come around here after I disposed of his main man," thought Sanza, making sure everyone else had exited the locker room before slowly walking back to the showers. _"I bet Slade's pissed off..."_

Sanza turned the corner and walked into one of the damp, tile shower rooms. There, standing by the wall with his hand on the top of the shower spigot was Slade, looking directly into Sanza's eyes.

"You get held back twenty years, or what?" asked Sanza, using a joke to conceal his growing nervousness. He had no idea how Slade would react to Sorel's death.

"Looks like your jokes aren't nearly as good as your fighting skills," replied Slade, his hand dropping from the shower spigot. "That was an impressive display you put on last night."

__

"Impressive?" thought Sanza, not believing what he was hearing. Certainly Slade would be a lot angrier than this. _"That's not what I expected..."_

"I told Sorel to show a bit more restraint in dealing with your family, but instead, he decided to take matters into his own hands, and it cost him his life. Sanza, you and I have a partnership. You work for me, I leave your family alone."

"Sorel certainly didn't understand the terms of our agreement then," said Sanza, his fists clenching. "He sent _your _robots into _my _house, and-"

"Rest assured, that won't happen again," replied Slade, walking up to Sanza and looking straight down at him, towering nearly a foot and a half over the teenage boy. "As far as I'm concerned, you passed all the tests with flying colors... apprentice."

Sanza took a step back, an angry look reflected in his face. He still had no desires to be Slade's apprentice, and certainly not after the man's lieutenant had attacked his family. Did Slade know that Sanza had forged a deal with the Teen Titans? Is _that _what this conversation was really about?

"I infiltrated the Teen Titans," said Sanza, a sly smile forming on his face. "They think I have an alliance with them."

"...interesting," Slade replied, "though I didn't tell you to forge such an alliance in the first place."

"Ah, but didn't your last apprentice nearly destroy the Titans by infiltrating their tower?" Sanza asked. "Terra was her name, I believe..."

The mention of Terra's name brought a brief swell of rage within Slade, as he remembered the apprentice who'd betrayed him so violently in the past. Because of Terra, he'd lost his life... and had to go to the depths of Hell to regain it. Sanza was treading thin ice by invoking Terra's name... and Slade couldn't help but think that Sanza too may betray him in a similar fashion.

But unlike Terra, who had nothing to lose by betraying Slade, Sanza had a mother and sister to protect. Should Sanza ever try to stab Slade in the back, the death of Sanza's family would be swift retribution. Even Sanza wasn't foolish enough to put his family's life at risk. But that he'd infiltrated the Teen Titans so quickly... Slade was skeptical.

"Exactly... how did you infiltrate them?" asked Slade. "How did you make them gain your trust?"

"I told them everything," replied Sanza, knowing that he was taking a huge risk by revealing his plans to Slade. "How you blackmailed me and my family, why I stole the suit... I even showed them my face."

Sanza smiled.

"And they believed it!" said Sanza. "They believed the whole thing... then I told them that they could work with me to destroy you. But what they don't know is that when they least expect it... I'll kill all of them in their sleep."

The ruthlessness of Sanza's plan was incredible, even for someone like Slade. The deaths of the Teen Titans would certainly be something that Slade himself couldn't even accomplish... and the Titans trusted Sanza so easily. _Too _easily... Slade was still skeptical.

"And you truly believe that after all Terra put them through, they'll trust a rogue like you?" asked Slade. "After just one day?"

"Like Terra, I'll build their trust in me by training with them and fighting a few battles. You'll see, Slade... when I get through with them, they won't know what hit them," said Sanza. "And then you and I can rule the city together, as apprentice and master."

Slade reached down to his belt and pulled out five small syringes, each filled with a silver liquid. He handed them to Sanza, who looked at them with a puzzled glare.

"Will these... kill them?" asked Sanza. Slade shook his head.

"These will simply monitor their vital signs and positions," said Slade, his arms crossed over his chest. "Also, it will enable me to hear everything they say, and see everything that they see. The needles of the syringes are painless... all you have to do is give each of them a light prick, and the serum will quickly be injected, without their knowledge. Once you've done that, return to me and report on your progress."

Sanza placed the syringes in his pocket and turned away from Slade, leaving the showers without a word.

"Also," said Slade, loud enough for Sanza to hear as he left, "if in twenty-four hours, the serum has not been injected... I'll be contacting you. And while I won't be as quick to attack your family as Sorel was, any deviation from the plan could still have consequences, both for them and for you. Remember that, Sanza..."

__

"And remember what happened to Sorel," thought Sanza, leaving the showers and walking past rows of lockers to the locker room exit. _"You hurt my family... and you'll end up just like he did."_

O-O-O

The rest of the school day came and went with no further interference from Slade. Though Sanza was relieved that Slade hadn't berated him for attacking Sorel, he still continued to worry about the latest task Slade had given him. Slade now knew that the Titans were privy to his threats against Sanza's family. Would Slade actually believe that Sanza was going to betray the Titans? Or would Slade punish Sanza for plotting with the Titans against him?

After school, Sanza rushed back home to see his family before putting on his Red X suit and heading over to Titans Tower. He hadn't seen them face-to-face since he left the previous night to face down Robin at the church. He especially wanted to speak to Maddy, who probably suffered the most from her attack at the hands of the Sladebots. He entered his home through the front door of the second floor of the apartment building, then walked through the kitchen to the living room, where Maddy was sitting and watching Dr. Phil. As soon as she saw Sanza, she ran over and wrapped her arms tightly around him.

"Sanza, I was so worried about you last night..." said Maddy, her face buried in her brothers' chest. "Those bad men attacked, and then-"

"I went to get help," replied Sanza, a convenient lie, "but I'm sorry that-"

"You know what?" said Maddy, releasing Sanza from the hug and smiling. "I bet it was because the robots saw you leave that they didn't hurt us! Because they KNEW you'd get the Teen Titans to come rescue us... right?"

__

"The Teen Titans..." thought Sanza, rolling his eyes. _"Doesn't she remember who saved her at the fair?"_

"I mean, you're probably friends with them... aren't you? Do they go to your school, Sanza?"

"I don't wanna hear about the Teen Titans," replied Sanza. "And no, they don't go to my school. They don't go to _any _school."

"Aww... I just thought you knew 'em personally or something," said Maddy, walking back over to her chair and sitting down just as Dr. Phil returned from a commercial break. "Well, I'm glad to see you safe, Sanza..."

"Yeah... me too, Maddy," said Sanza, walking over and kissing his little sister on the forehead. She giggled as she was kissed, then gently nudged Sanza out of her way, as he was blocking her view of the TV.

"Go do big brother stuff," said Maddy, her eyes more focused on the screen than her brother Sanza. Sanza took the hint, strolling out of the living room and climbing the stairs to his own room. "Mom went to get some milk, she'll be back whenever."

__

"One minute she's happy to see me, the next she's watching Dr. Phil like nothing happened..." thought Sanza, shaking his head. _"At least she's not traumatized from what happened... she's so tough for her age."_

Sometimes, Sanza wished he could bounce back from things like Maddy could. Unfortunately, if he didn't follow Slade's instructions, Maddy wouldn't bounce back from anything.

__

"Time to get to work," thought Sanza, as he started slipping the Red X costume over his clothes.

O-O-O

Red X had decided not to inform the Teen Titans about the syringes... if they knew that he was receiving assignments from Slade, they might not trust him... and he wasn't all too sure that they trusted him already.

__

"Robin says we have a deal," thought Red X, as he walked up onto the shores of the island where Titans Tower was located. _"That should be good enough for me... but one can never be too sure."_

Whether he would actually obey Slade's instructions to inject the syringes or not was something that Red X still didn't know. For all he knew, the liquid inside them could in fact be lethal, and he could be unwittingly killing the Teen Titans by injecting them.

But he told Slade he could kill the Titans in their sleep... certainly, Slade had enough confidence in him to trust him to do the job without the need for deception. Then again, Slade couldn't trust his two previous apprentices either...

Red X knocked on the door of the Tower. It opened up, and a serious-looking Robin was standing on the other side.

"You gonna stand there, or are you gonna let me in?" asked Red X, in as friendly a voice as he could muster. "I'm not doing this for my health."

Robin stepped out of the way, and Red X quickly walked in past him, into the main room of the tower. In front of him stood the other four Teen Titans, Starfire at the head of the group with a bright, welcoming smile on her face.

"It is wonderful to see you again!" said Starfire, happily walking over to Red X. A few days ago, she never would've ever considered smiling at him... but now that he knew that she'd forgiven him, she felt as if a great weight had been taken off her own chest... and though she knew that Red X was a thief, perhaps if she showed him friendship, he would be more willing to join the Titans full-time. "Please, come this way!"

Her hand gripped around Red X's gloved fingers, and she half-led, half-tugged him out of the room and down a series of long hallways.

"Where are we going?" asked Red X as Starfire pulled him along. _"And if my arm breaks, you're in serious trouble..."_

"We set up a training area behind the tower," said Cyborg, following Red X and Starfire along with Robin and the others. "We know that you'd probably do pretty well on the obstacle course, so we're just going to skip right to the partners training."

"Partners training?" asked Red X. He was still being quickly led along by Starfire, who seemed determined to bring him to the back of the tower in record time.

"We told you, if you're going to work as part of this team, you need to learn how to perform with your teammates," replied Robin, still slightly surprised that he was using the word _teammate _to refer to Red X. "So we're going to teach you a few moves that'll help you work better with the team."

"And I can't just fight with you guys by myself... why?" asked Red X, slightly annoyed.

"Part of forming a bond of trust with your teammates is learning to utilize them in your battle moves," said Starfire, briefly stopping to explain the motivation behind 'team training' to Red X. "If you are simply fighting by yourself, you may be fighting _with _a team, but not fighting _as _a team."

"Starfire's right," said Robin. "Some of the best and most effective Teen Titan attacks are team maneuvers. What truly makes us a team is that we enhance each other's capabilities in battle."

Red X rolled his eyes under the mask. All of this training seemed unnecessary. Why the Titans couldn't just go and fight Slade now was completely beyond his comprehension. He was strong enough to nearly beat the Titans by himself... he and the Titans working together against Slade should already be an unstoppable force, right?

"Fine," Red X sighed, resigning himself to a training session. "Lead the way..."

Instead of taking Red X's hand this time, Starfire floated slowly down the hallway, expecting Red X to follow her. He did, slightly disappointed that Starfire wasn't pulling him by the arm again, though relieved that he wasn't going to have so much stress on his limb. He walked down another hallway before entering a corridor with a large, metallic gate at the end. Starfire walked over to the gate's control console and pressed three buttons, opening the door and exposing Red X and the Titans to a bright burst of sunshine from the outside.

"Here we are!" said Starfire, floating through the open gate. Red X followed her out, along with the other four Titans. The gate closed quickly behind them, and Red X looked out to see Starfire standing on the top of a wide, rocky plateau, overlooking the beautiful bay beyond the tower. The plateau was enormous in size, nearly as large as two football fields pressed tightly together. On the plateau were what appeared to be white chalk lines, denoting apparent boundaries in the makeshift training arena. Though it was barren except for the lines, underneath its surface, powerful mechanisms were at work.

"This is... your training area?" asked Red X, stepping out onto the plateau and surveying his surroundings. _"I thought it would be _inside... _but the scenery is nice..."_

"We have other training facilities within the tower, but this is what we mostly use for field-testing scenarios," said Robin, pointing to a large control console on top of a second level of the plateau that could be accessed by a short, rocky stairway. "That controls the different types of obstacles and field conditions."

"It makes hurdles, lasers, and rain," replied Raven, overly simplifying Robin's description. "Or any combination thereof."

Hurdles, lasers, and rain didn't sound all that impressive to Red X, who'd dealt with hundreds of obstacles in his months of thievery. He began to wonder if the simulator could come up with a holographic version of Slade... something to take all of his frustrations out on.

"So, X... are you ready to get started?" asked Robin, walking up to the control console and positioning himself behind it. "We'll start out with a basic battle scenario... try to work with the rest of the team to destroy the enemies."

Red X looked around at the other Titans, who were already preparing themselves to battle. Raven, Beast Boy, Cyborg... and finally Starfire, whose eyes and hands were glowing bright green.

"We're ready, dude!" shouted Beast Boy, already thinking about what animals he would be transforming into.

Robin turned several knobs on the console, raising several large, metallic columns up from the floor of the battle arena. The columns would serve as barriers and hiding places, both for the Titans and for their opponents.

"Aren't you going to be fighting too?" asked Red X, watching as Robin continued to work the controls at the console.

"I'll stay up here and try and make it a bit harder for you," replied Robin, briefly smiling down at Red X. "I know someone like you can handle it."

"So does that make me the leader, then, since you're up there in computer geek mode?" asked Red X, eliciting a brief annoyed glare from Raven.

"Just try to work together as a team," instructed Robin, as several spider-shaped bots about a two feet tall and three feet wide started to appear. "Don't think about leaders, just think about what's best for the team."

Before Red X could say anything more, one of the spider bots leapt into the air, straight at the head of Cyborg. Cyborg lifted his arm cannon to blast away the spider, only to have Red X hit it in the side with an exploding X, blowing it away before Cyborg got the chance. Another spider leaping at Beast Boy met the same fate, exploding before Beast Boy could transform.

"Is that it?" shouted Red X, looking around to see seven more spider bots forming a wide circle around him and the four training Titans. _"Training's gotta be tougher than this..."_

"Do you not remember what Robin said?" scolded Starfire, her happy smile curled into an angry frown. "We are to work as a team to-"

"Team shmeam, I'm going all out," shouted Red X, pointing his palms at two more spider bots and firing explosive Xs at them. The two spiders linked two of their legs, spitting out a strange white substance that morphed into an energy web. The web sucked up not only Red X's projectiles, but also the thief himself, collapsing over him before detonating in a bright orange explosion.

"You can't just defeat them with the same trick, you've gotta change it up!" shouted Beast Boy, transforming into a tiger as he leapt into the air, attacking the two spiders who'd just turned Red X's own attack back on him. As he did, Raven extended her arms and began to chant.

"Azarath, metreon, zinthos!" shouted Raven, wrapping dark energy around all four of tiger Beast Boy's legs. The energy propelled him through the air at an incredible speed, enabling him to tackle the two spider bots before they could attack. He pounced on both of them at once, smashing them to pieces.

"See?" asked Starfire, gently helping Red X up from the ground. "Teamwork is-"

"For losers!" shouted Red X, running away from Starfire and toward another one of the spider bots. His palm lit up, and he fired out a sticky, goo-filled X that affixed itself to the spider, expanding and burying the robot in red slime. Suddenly, the robot flashed bright green, shooting a beam out of the goo that slammed into Red X's chest, knocking him hard to the ground. _"What the..."_

The robot carved itself out of the goo with the beam before firing another powerful green laser at Red X, nearly hitting him as he stood up and ran sideways, right into the line of fire of another of the spider bots.

"Look out!" warned Cyborg, slamming into the side of Red X and knocking him to the ground. As he did, the spider leapt forward, tackling Cyborg and wrapping all eight of its metallic legs around the huge robot's chest.

__

"What the hell are you doing?" thought Red X, rubbing his head and slowly standing up. He saw the spider bot with its powerful legs wrapped around Cyborg's chest, and began to chuckle. "Serves you right for-"

"Had he not pushed you out of the way, it would have been _you _in the grasp of the spider robot!" berated Starfire, pointing at Cyborg's predicament. "You will show your gratitude by helping him es-"

Suddenly, a glowing white web strand shot out from one of the spider bots, wrapping around Starfire's arms and chest and pulling her backward. She let out a scream, struggling violently in the spider's grasp as more and more of its energy web wrapped around her body. Ignoring Cyborg's plight, Red X angrily turned toward the spider and began blasting it with multiple exploding Xs, only to have the Xs explode against a blue energy shield protecting the spider bot from attack.

__

"Shit!" thought Red X, watching as the spider bot's energy strands began wrapping over Starfire's shoulders and neck. He fired several shuriken Xs at the spider bot, but they too were blocked by the shields, much to X's dismay.

__

"I could've gotten her out of there..." thought Robin, watching as X futilely tried to free Starfire from the spider bot's grasp. He knew that the simulation couldn't actually hurt Starfire, but he was annoyed that Red X's brashness was preventing Starfire from being rescued. "X, you can't stop the robot by yourself!"

"We'll see about that!" shouted Red X, running toward the spider bot and leaping down on it with a powerful kick. His foot slammed against the shield, knocking him backward and leaving the spider bot completely unharmed.

"Help!" screamed Starfire, unable to use her Starbolts on the robot with her arms wrapped up. "Hel...mmmph!"

The energy thread began wrapping around Starfire's mouth, muffling her shouts for help. Again, Red X stood up and began trying to blast the spider with explosive Xs, only to have them once again run up against its shield.

"This is ridiculous!" shouted Red X, suddenly leaping back as a blue beam flew past him and slammed directly into the spider's shield, causing the shield to instantly fizzle out.

"Now attack him!" shouted Cyborg, his arm cannon pointed at the de-shielded spider. "Before its shield reforms!"

Red X fired another exploding X, which slammed into the back of the spider, creating an explosion that destroyed it and disintegrated the threads wrapped around Starfire's body. She was thrown forward, landing hard on her knees on the rocky ground.

"That was... excellent teamwork...!" gasped Starfire, looking up and smiling at Red X and Cyborg. Suddenly, she saw two spiders rising up behind them, and quickly sprung into action. Her eyes lit up bright green, and she floated up, firing her eye lasers at the two spider bots and quickly turning them both to scrap. "That should be the last of them..."

Red X quickly looked around, surveying the roof for any sign of remaining spider bots. Starfire was right, all the drones had been destroyed.

"Good work, guys," said Robin, tweaking a knob and opening up holes in the floor to suck up any remaining spider bot parts.

__

"Whatever," thought Red X, glancing up at Robin and staring into his eyes. "Is that the best you've got? I didn't learn _anything _from that. I thought we were going to fight Slade, not a few crappy little spider robots. So unless you can get Slade on that thing..."

Suddenly, Robin's eyes narrowed, and he pressed several buttons on the control console. Almost immediately, a familiar figure seemed to form out of thin air... a perfect facsimile of Slade, from his physique, to his mask, to his voice.

"Is this Slade enough for you, Sanza?" asked the Slade simulation, its voice beckoning Red X into a quick and furious charge. As soon as Red X was within striking distance, the Slade simulation reared back its fist... and slammed it directly into Red X's face, knocking him to the ground.

Though Red X was physically unharmed, the pain was completely real... and he lifted his hand up to his nose, which felt like it had been broken by the force of the punch.

"You said... this thing... couldn't hurt any of us!" shouted Red X, furiously looking past the Slade simulation to Robin. "What the hell?"

"Sensors built into the floor transmit pain sensations through our nerves," replied Raven. "So when we take a punch in here..."

"We feel it," said Cyborg, finishing Sanza's sentence. The Slade simulation disappeared into the floor, but Red X didn't want to stop fighting.

"Bring it back," said Red X, tightly clenching his fists. "Bring the simulation back..."

Robin was surprised by Red X's request, especially after seeing the pain that the simulation had caused with its first punch. Could Red X be angry at the simulation, associating it with Slade, the person who'd caused him so much trouble? The simulation wasn't even half as strong as the real Slade was, all the Titans had been able to beat it one-on-one...

"Are you sure?" asked Robin, preparing to bring back the Slade simulation.

"Yeah, man, it's a lot weaker than the original Slade..." said Beast Boy, also confused by Red X's desire to bring back the Slade simulation. "That punch might've hurt, but that's just because you were surprised."

"I said bring it back," replied Red X, gritting his teeth. _"I'd never let the real Slade get the best of me... and this _thing _is no different!"_

"We shall all fight the simulation, together..." said Starfire, smiling at Red X. "It will help us with our teamwork skills... correct?"

__

"I'm not worried about teamwork," thought Red X, narrowing his eyes at Robin. _"I'm going to pummel this damn simulation..."_

Suddenly, all five of the Titans' communicators began to ring. Training, it seemed, would have to wait... there was trouble in the city.

"Sorry, but we've gotta go," said Robin, hopping down from the control console. Red X was clearly disappointed by not getting to fight the Slade simulation, and there was no way the Titans would trust him to remain at the tower by himself. "The city's under attack."

"The city's always under attack," grumbled Red X, his arms at his sides. "I suppose you want me to come help out, huh?"

"If you wish..." said Starfire.

The Titans ran out of the training area, and Red X followed them, remembering the five syringes that Slade had placed in his pocket.

__

"While they're distracted with fighting whatever or whoever is attacking the city, I'll be able to inject all of 'em with this stuff..." thought Red X, still disappointed that he didn't get to battle the Slade simulation. He still wasn't sure if the Titans entirely trusted him, and knew that if his plan to inject them all with Slade's serum was found out, he'd have absolutely no chance of regaining their trust.

And if he didn't have their trust, he'd be on his own against Slade...

O-O-O

The Titans and Red X traveled downtown in the T-Car. Because of space limitations, Beast Boy had to transform into a mouse and sit in Red X's lap in the back seat.

"If you have to use the restroom, I'll throw you out the window," warned Red X, eliciting a squeak from mouse Beast Boy, looking up at him with wide eyes. "I'm serious."

Suddenly, a huge chunk of brick fell down right in front of the T-Car, slamming into the street below and throwing up a large cloud of dust. The T-Car immediately slammed on its brakes, and the Titans, along with Red X, climbed out to see an enormous black robot crossing the street. It was a huge metallic beast with a large, black, spherical head from which six long, metallic tendrils drooped down to the streets below. The tendrils served as both arms and legs for the robot, which would occasionally swing one of them into a building, causing heavy damage. As it crossed the street, it also fired large, orange lasers at the people and cars below, creating explosions wherever the lasers landed.

"Okay, is that supposed to be an octopus, a squid, or..."

As Beast Boy tried to discern the robot's shape, it fired a laser down at him, which he barely blocked by transforming into a turtle and quickly retracting into his shell.

"I think the word you're looking for is 'monster', Beast Boy," said Raven, floating up into the air and using her telekinesis to take control of two of the giant robot's tendrils. The affected tendrils turned solid black, rising up helplessly in the air as Raven controlled them with her mind. "Azarath, metreon, zinthos!"

The tendrils rushed back toward the robot's head, as Raven hoped to destroy the giant mechanical beast with its own legs. Her hopes were dashed when a laser emerged from the robot's head, destroying both controlled legs and sending debris crashing to the ground.

"That wasn't too smart," said Cyborg, running under the robot and shooting laser beams at the underside of its spherical head, while Starfire blasted it with Starbolts from above. "It just destroyed its own legs!"

"It would've been killed if it hadn't," said Red X, tossing three exploding Xs onto the robot from below.

"Hey man, the explosion's gonna be too close!" shouted Cyborg, ducking as the Xs detonated with a blast that engulfed everything beneath the robot, including Red X, who instinctively rolled out of the way. Cyborg, who was caused in the blast, wasn't quite so lucky, and his backside was scorched by the resultant fireball. "Aaaaaagh!"

"You shoulda ducked faster," said Red X, cursing as the explosion dissipated and revealed he'd done no damage to the robot. _"Looks like I'll have to try something else..."_

"What were you thinking?" shouted Robin, dodging one of the robot's legs as it slammed down to the ground between him and Red X. "Cyborg could've been seriously hurt!"

"And that's my problem because...?" Red X said, leaping onto the robot's leg and running up the side, all the way up to the top before taking out another one of his Xs and pasting it to the leg's smooth, metallic surface. The X shot out a localized EMP pulse, shorting out and detaching the leg and sending both it and Red X plummeting to the street below. _"Three legs gone, only three more to go..."_

Red X hopped off the detached leg and tossed shuriken Xs at its underside, hoping to hit a vulnerable point. Above the robot, Starfire continued to bombard its surface with Starbolts and eye lasers, all the while dodging spherical energy balls launched by turrets on the top of the robot. She could see a green flash out of the corner of her eye, and knew immediately that Beast Boy, transformed into a falcon, was flying up to help her out. He transformed as a gorilla and dropped onto the top of the robot, pounding its thick top with his powerful fists.

"Beast Boy, try to create a weak point in the robot's hull so that I can fire Starbolts to damage its circuitry," said Starfire, continuing to have little luck with blasting the bot's metallic skin. "Right now, I am currently unable to penetrate it..."

Down below, Raven had taken control of the robot's remaining three tendrils, lifting them up to try and force the robot off balance. Instead, it simply regenerated its destroyed tendrils, which all shot out at once, nearly smashing Robin, Red X, and Cyborg below.

__

"It can regenerate its limbs?" thought Raven, the surprise causing her to lose her concentration. _"What kind of technology is-"_

The side of one of the robot's legs slammed hard into Raven's chest, knocking her to the ground. As she lay vulnerable on the pavement, the leg lifted above her chest and slammed downward, preparing to smash her. Before it could, it was stopped cold by a large, flexible X, forming a barrier that acted like a large spring that absorbed the impact of the leg and bounced it and the robot backwards.

"You should be more careful, little lady," said Red X, extending a hand to help the blue-cloaked Titan to her feet. In his other hand, he held one of Slade's syringes, just behind his back and out of Raven's view. _"I get to help a lady and complete part of my mission at the same time... not a bad deal at all..."_

"Th...thanks," Raven replied, accepting Red X's help and slowly being pulled to her feet. As Red X moved to prick Raven with the syringe, both he and Raven were hit by a powerful orange laser that threw both of them hard to the ground, nearly knocking the syringe from Red X's hand.

_"Dammit, I was so close!" _thought Red X, angrier about losing his opportunity to inject Raven with Slade's serum than he was about being blasted. He stood up and saw the robot preparing to fire another blast, this time point-blank at his head.

A black energy shield hastily erected in front of Red X stopped the blast, which exploded harmlessly against the barrier.

"You're welcome," said Raven, lowering her hands to remove the barrier as the blast ended. "Now help me look for a weakness!"

While Raven and Red X were forming an impromptu alliance, Robin and Cyborg teamed up to attack the joints of the robot's legs, attempting to destroy them faster than they could regenerate. While Robin threw bombs at the joints, Cyborg hit them with a powerful concussion blast, forming the duo's familiar 'sonic boom' combo attack. The blasts did nothing but annoy the robot, which began focusing its lasers under its body to fire down on Robin and Cyborg.

Above the robot, the aerial assault from Starfire and gorilla Beast Boy continued. Starfire was now concentrating on blasting the turrets around Beast Boy while he pounded away at the top of the robot, trying to make a hole for Starfire to blast into.

__

"I can't believe this thing!" thought Beast Boy, repeatedly ramming his furry fists into the robot's hard, metallic shell. _"Usually most machines are destroyed after a few seconds of this, but this one's different somehow... whoever built this thing really did his homework..."_

A glowing energy ball slammed into gorilla Beast Boy's chest, exploding and knocking him high into the air. Before he slammed back into the top of the robot, he was caught by Starfire, who apologized as she lowered Beast Boy back onto the robot's surface.

"I should have been faster in destroying the turrets..." said Starfire, reaching out and blasting another one of them as it began to charge up. _"They are coming out too fast to be destroyed... unless we find a weakness soon, we will be overwhelmed!"_

O-O-O

Red X and the Titans weren't the only ones who had a vested interest in the fight. Watching from the tower at the center of Tekita Refinery was the robot's creator, Slade... who had sent the robot not only to gauge Red X and the Teen Titans' abilities, but to perform another, far more sinister function.

__

"You'll see why I gave you those syringes soon enough," thought Slade, eagerly staring at the screen. _"And you're right, Sanza... I _don't _trust you. You have to earn my trust, just like everyone else..."_

O-O-O

"We have to keep this thing from regenerating its legs," said Raven, looking at Red X and standing under the robot, across the street from Robin and Cyborg. "I don't suppose you have any gadgets to do that, do you?"

"If I did, I would've used one..." said Red X, leaping away from the robot as one of its large legs swung down between himself and Raven. "Right now, I don't see any sign of a weakness..."

"Look harder," said Raven, blasting the underside of the robot with an ineffective energy blast.

"Hey, you remember," said Red X, starting to get annoyed. "I've got a gadget to shut you up!"

With a look that told Red X that she wasn't intimidated by his latest threat, Raven flew up along the side of the robot and joined Starfire and Beast Boy in the battle on top of its head. That left Robin, Cyborg, and Red X underneath its spherical frame, dodging tendrils and orange laser beams.

"You tried shorting this thing out?" asked Robin, turning to Red X while slamming his bo staff into the robot's underbelly.

"Its legs can be shorted out, but the main body can't," replied Red X, who'd tried pasting ten EMP Xs on the frame at once, with no effect. _"I'm _really _starting to get frustrated with this thing..."_

On top of the robot, Starfire and Raven continued neutralizing the turrets as Beast Boy tried a new tactic to knock out its power supply. He transformed into a swift peregrine falcon and divebombed it from above, trying his best to cause damage with his sharp beak.

Instead, he nearly broke his beak slamming into the robot's frame, creating not so much as a single crack. He immediately detransformed, his hands tightly clasped over his nose.

"Don't blame me, I didn't tell you to try that," said Raven, using her energy shield to block a string of shots headed straight for herself and Starfire. Though she did feel sorry for Beast Boy's injured nose, she felt far more annoyed that he would actually attempted such a boneheaded maneuver.

"We will have to try something else!" shouted Starfire, slamming her palms down onto the top of the robot's frame and radiating Starbolt energy from her hands. _"Perhaps if I do this long enough, I can overheat its circuitry..."_

Quickly, the energy began heating up the robot, weakening the metal in the spot directly underneath Starfire's hands. She could feel the integrity of the bot's hull beginning to give, and intensified her energy, focusing directly on that one vulnerable spot.

The robot, however, had other plans in mind. Perturbed by the heat, it swung one of its powerful tendrils up toward the top of its head. Starfire quickly leapt out of the way, and the leg smashed down onto the heated spot, creating a small, fist-sized hole in the top of the robot's frame.

"Starfire, you did it!" Raven shouted up to her now-smiling friend, who immediately floated down and charged a Starbolt to fire into the hole.

"Way to go, Starfire!" shouted Beast Boy, lifting his hands from his nose and pumping them in the air.

Starfire's victory was short-lived. Before she could fire a single Starbolt into the hole she'd created, the robot's tendril wrapped around her arms, pinning them helplessly to her sides and swinging the Tamaranian girl high up in the air.

Starfire's scream alerted Robin, Cyborg, and Red X, who rushed out from under the robot and looked up.

"STARFIRE!" shouted Robin, running toward the leg that the robot had wrapped around Starfire. It was at an angle too steep to climb, but that didn't stop Robin from assailing it with a flurry of swings from his bo staff, which proved ineffective even before the robot lifted up its leg, out of Robin's reach.

"You will let me go immediately!" shouted Starfire, blasting her eye lasers at the leg of the robot and trying to force it to release its grip. The eye lasers did no damage whatsoever, and only caused the robot to tighten its hold around Starfire's arms and chest.

"You heard the lady, let her go," said Red X, shooting up one of his EMP Xs at the joint between the robot and the leg holding Starfire. The EMP X began glowing, and blue sparks around the robot's leg indicted that it had began to short out. Red X breathed a sigh of relief. _"YES!"_

Suddenly, Starfire let out another loud scream. Now that the leg was holding her, it had something to channel the excess electrical energy into... and instead of shorting out the robot's leg, Red X's EMP attack had shocked Starfire... severely.

"What were you doing?" shouted a now enraged Robin, storming toward Red X and getting right up in his face. "Because of your carelessness, Starfire got hurt!"

"You want to save her?" shouted Red X, his voice equally loud and angry. "You keep talking about all this... this teamwork crap, right? If we're going to save Starfire, we're going to have to work together!"

By now, the hole on the top of the robot had repaired itself, rendering Raven or Beast Boy unable to do any damage from above. Starfire was fading fast in the robot's grasp, and Cyborg's arm cannon blast was doing nothing to damage the robot's formidable tendrils.

Red X was right, though Robin hated to admit it. It seemed that X had seen the error in trying to work by himself, and was ready to come together as part of the team. And a plan was quickly forming in Robin's head...

Robin pointed his Batcable up at the bottom of the robot's leg and fired, extending a line nearly fifty feet in the air as the hook at the end of Robin's cable wrapped around the metallic limb.

"Climb up my Batcable and see if you can pry Starfire loose," said Robin, looking at Red X. "I'll be up right behind you."

Red X nodded, leaping up and starting his long climb up Robin's Batcable. Before he even got ten feet in the air, one of the robot's powerful orange lasers shot at him, nearly knocking him off.

"I'm a sitting duck up here!" Red X shouted.

"The sooner you climb up the cable, the sooner you'll be out of harm's way... and the sooner you'll be able to reach Starfire!" shouted Robin, trying to appeal to Red X's crush. Robin's words worked, because Red X climbed the cable twice as quickly, making it to the top of the cable and the bottom of the robot's leg. He quickly formed two sticky Xs in his hands, climbing up the side of the robot's leg and up to where Starfire was being suspended in the robot's grasp. She was still struggling, trying to press her palms against the side of the robot's leg in order to heat it up and weaken its structural integrity as she'd done to the robot's hull.

"I need your assistance!" shouted Starfire as Red X crawled along the robot's leg, right up next to her.

"I can see that," Red X said, trying to pry Starfire loose from the tighty-wrapped tendril.

"No," said Starfire, shaking her head. Her trapped right hand was waving wildly, glowing with green Starbolt energy. "Not that kind of assistance... please, take my hand... I believe I can focus my energy into your suit."

"Star, I'm here to help!" shouted Robin, using his Batcable to leap onto the top of the robot's leg, next to Red X.

Starfire smiled at Robin before turning back to Red X and continuing her instructions.

"The heat from my Starbolt energy can weaken the robot... if you put it into one of your Xs, I believe you can use it to melt away the robot's leg and extricate me from its grasp..." said Starfire, her voice weakening as the grip of the robot's leg tightened around her chest, starting to cut off her air supply. "Hurry!"

Red X nodded, wrapping his hand tightly around Starfire's and allowing her energy to flow into the arm of his suit. His hand quickly began warming up, almost burning beneath the suit.

__

"I hope this doesn't take too much longer..." thought Red X, wincing as the stinging heat from Starfire's energy entered his body.

"There, that should be enough," said Starfire, gently releasing Red X's hand. "Now hurry, before-"

Suddenly, the robot thrust its leg downward, causing both Robin and Red X to lose their balance. While Red X held on to the side of the robot's leg for dear life, Robin fell entirely. Reaching out as much as the robot's leg would allow her to, Starfire caught Robin's hand in hers, barely maintaining her grip.

"HOLD ON!" shouted Starfire, as Robin's fingers tenuously began slipping from her grasp. "Please, do not fall!"

"Starfire!" Robin shouted back, looking up into her eyes. _"I trust you... you won't let me fall..."_

Red X struggled to keep his grip on the robot's leg, using one arm to hold on while the other arm, charged with Starfire's energy, slapped the side of the robot's leg, forming an X that began glowing bright green, burning with heat energy. The heat quickly melted the tip of the robot's leg away, sending Starfire, Red X, and Robin falling quickly to the pavement below.

Without the robot's electrical energy flowing into it, the portion of leg wrapped around Starfire's arms could no longer keep its strength, and Starfire easily snapped it, freeing her arms and enabling her to dive toward Robin and Red X, catching them both before gently floating down to the ground.

She set the two of them upright before turning away to rub her slightly bruised arms. Robin was the first to check on her, walking around to face her and bringing his hand up to her cheek.

"Starfire..." Robin said, genuine concern in his voice. "Are you..."

"I am undamaged," Starfire replied with a smile. "Thank you both for assisting me..."

Red X was now in prime position, a syringe held in his hand. He slowly brought it up to the back of Starfire's neck, hoping that he'd be able to inject her without anyone noticing.

__

"I'm sorry, Starfire... I promise this won't hurt..."

The robot suddenly took on a bright, orange glow, baffling Cyborg, Raven, and Beast Boy as they stood under its spherical hull. Robin and Starfire were also confused, turning to stare at it and forcing Red X to once again hide the syringe, reaching down for his pocket.

It was then that the syringe in his hand exploded, releasing a concentrated burst of heat and energy that seared Red X's hand, sending waves of pain shooting through his entire arm. He let out a howl of pain, immediately drawing Starfire's attention.

"X, are you all rig-"

Before Starfire could finish, all four syringes in Red X's pocket exploded, scalding his hip and bringing him to his knees, smoke rising from his waist as trickles of blood began pouring from his side.

The pain was nothing, however, compared to the shock he sustained when the horrible truth of the contents of Slade's serum were dramatically revealed to him.

__

"That... if that would've been inside them, it would have killed them!" thought Red X, grimacing in pain as he held his hand to his side. _"Slade was going to kill them!"_

O-O-O

"So, you didn't inject the syringes like I asked you to..." said Slade, his hands clasped in front of him. "Of course, instead of twenty-four hours, I should have given you eight... but that's what I get for trusting you to follow my instructions immediately. You fail this test, Sanza Salazar..."

O-O-O

Slade tried to bump off the Titans... what a dirty trick! Of course, the Titans and Red X still have the small matter of Slade's War of the Worlds-esque robot to take care of... plus, will Red X finally tell the Titans of Slade's attempted murder plot?


	15. Affront To An Alliance

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Teen Titans. If I did, this would be on TV and not here.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This doesn't take place in the same storyline as my "Forced Base" and "Fractured Heart" stories, so forget those when you're reading this. Also, this takes place after the fourth season, so anything that happens in the show after that isn't applicable to this. Also, about Sanza/Red X: When he's wearing the mask, he's Red X. When he's not, he's Sanza. Simple as that.

O-O-O

As the searing heat from Slade's syringes coursed through his body, Red X stood up, faced with the concerned stares of the five Teen Titans. The giant robot's orange glow had disappeared, and it was once again poised to attack.

"What happened?" Robin shouted, focusing his attention on the wound in Red X's side. "What did that thing do to-"

"It's going to attack!" shouted Red X, rushing toward the robot with one hand still clutching his side, his other hand tingling and blistered, having also been affected by the serum. _"I can't tell them that Slade was trying to kill them... at least not here... they'll never trust me if they know I was part of the plan..."_

"Starfire, float up and see if you can breach its hull again!" shouted Raven, her focus returning to the battle. "Just try not to get grabbed this time..."

Starfire nodded, and floated up to the underbelly of the robot, placing her hands on the metal and beginning to form Starbolt energy into heat again.

"We'll try to keep this thing's legs away while you make us a hole!" shouted Cyborg, blasting two of the large, swinging tendrils with his arm cannon. Red X and Robin stood back to back directly underneath the robot, tossing shurikens and Bat-a-Rangs at its legs as they tried to swing inward at Starfire.

__

"I can't believe I'm actually fighting with him like this..." thought Red X, coordinating his attacks with Robin as the two stood together under the robot's immense frame. It was almost surreal, Robin and Red X working with one another like some kind of bizarre WWE tag team, especially when X recalled their brutal fights over the past few days.

"X, look out!" shouted Robin, suddenly running around in front of Red X and extending his bo staff to block an incoming laser blast. Red X groaned and leapt back, angry that Robin had stepped up to defend him.

"I can look out for myself," replied Red X, who'd seen the laser but had been too busy attacking the robot's legs to block it. "Don't step up for me like that, kid."

__

"He doesn't need to protect his identity anymore, and he's still calling me that," thought Robin, glaring angrily at Red X as the thief resumed his assault on the robot's legs. "I thought we were a team!"

Red X merely chuckled, not offering a reply to Robin's comment. Robin was about to repeat his statement, when a joyous cry from above diverted his attention to the robot's underbelly. There, Starfire's energy had created a large hole where the robot's structure had been severely damaged. The hole was sparking and smoking, a glaring weakness that all of the Titans now knew to aim at.

Beast Boy quickly turned into a hummingbird and fluttered into the hole, transforming into a Tyrannosaurus Rex once he'd made it inside. He began chewing and tearing at wires, immediately causing the robot to behave erratically, staggering about as if it were drunk.

"Great job, Beast Boy!" shouted Robin, directing the other Titans to the underside of the robot. "Everybody, aim for the hole!"

"Azarath, metreon, zinthos!" shouted Raven, aiming a large beam of dark energy straight into the robot's core, creating a brilliant black flash that nearly knocked the machine off of its robotic legs, and knocked a detransformed Beast Boy out of the hole. He was quickly caught by Starfire, who set Beast Boy down on the ground before firing a barrage of Starbolts and eye lasers into the hole. Another large explosion threw the robot backward, knocking it off balance and causing the enormous spherical head of the machine to crash toward the ground, slamming into the street and throwing up a large amount of asphalt on impact. By now, the street was abandoned, so no one was hurt as the robot made its final descent.

"Booyah!" shouted Cyborg in a celebratory tone, firing his arm cannon straight into the now-grounded robot's weak spot. The beam blew the head of the robot apart entirely, scattering its debris all over the street. All that remained of the enormous bot were six disembodied mechanical tendrils and a heap of smoldering scrap metal in the middle of the road. "We did it!"

"Great work, team!" said Robin, congratulating the Titans as they gathered around the heap of scrap that had once been one of Slade's formidable robots. Red X, unwilling to join in the celebration, slowly turned to walk away. As he did, the blistering wound in his side became nearly unbearable, and he fell to one knee, groaning in pain.

__

"Damn..." thought Red X, shaking his head and blinking his eyes. His vision had become hazy, and he became violently nauseous, his body swaying back and forth as he knelt on the ground. _"Guess that wound was more serious than I thought."_

"You... okay?" asked Raven, a hint of concern in her calmly monotone voice.

"Dude, I think he's hurt... really badly!" shouted Beast Boy, who began running over to Red X, along with the other Titans. He extended his hand toward the costumed thief, only to have it roughly slapped away.

"Don't you touch me," said Red X, turning away from Beast Boy and wobbling as he looked down at the ground. He was getting more and more nauseous by the second, and finally, he could no longer contain the urge to vomit. He ripped the mask from his head... and then, without a word, fell unconscious on the ground.

O-O-O

Sanza awoke in the Titans Tower infirmary, his vision hazy for several seconds after he awoke. When he looked down, he could see that not only had his Red X costume been removed, but his undershirt as well, leaving him in only a pair of blue jeans. His hand was heavily bandaged, as was his hip where the wound from Slade's exploding syringes had been made. He let out a groan, still feeling the dull pain in his side.

"Finally awake, huh?"

Sanza looked up and to the side of the bed. There, sitting in a small wooden chair and reading a comic book, was Cyborg, a smile on his face.

"Raven didn't have enough energy after the fight to use her healing powers on you, so Robin and the others patched you up and put you in bed. You've been asleep for about two or three hours now."

"Unnnh..." groaned Sanza, sitting up in the bed and rubbing his hand over his bandaged side. He wasn't surprised that the Titans had helped him, but he did feel slightly vulnerable in their tower without his costume. For all he knew, the X suit could be inaccessibly locked up in a safe somewhere. And if that was the case, he knew there was nothing he could do. "Where are the others?"

"Robin's in his room studying some of the robot's parts to see where it originated from. Raven's in the front room, and Beast Boy's in there with her watching TV. I've got no idea where Starfire is... she was in here watching you for a while, then she left a little while ago and told me to watch you until she got back."

Sanza smiled, unable to help but feel grateful that Starfire had watched him.

"How long was she here?" asked Sanza, trying to remove the smile from his face.

"Since you were brought in until she left a few minutes before you got up," said Cyborg. "Star told me about the talk you guys had this morning... about how you were sorry for kidnapping her."

"Yeah, well, I was going to take you, but your robot ass would've been way too busy to carry," said Sanza, trying to act as tough as he could. Cyborg, not buying the 'tough act' for a second, simply smirked and interrogated Sanza further.

"You like her, don't you?" asked Cyborg, playfully nudging Sanza in the ribs. Sanza grimaced in pain, clutching his side and scooting back in the bed.

"Hell no," Sanza replied, a terrible lie if there ever was one. _"Can't you focus on your own damn relationships and stay the hell out of mine?"_

Sanza still didn't know if he was going to tell the Titans about Slade's syringes. They just assumed that the robot had burned Sanza's hand and side, and as far as Sanza was concerned, that's all they needed to know.

"Just askin'," said Cyborg, turning slightly away from Sanza. "You do know she's Robin's girlfriend, right?"

Out of all the Titans, Cyborg was definitely the one who razzed Robin about Starfire the most, knowing that Robin and Starfire probably had the closest one-on-one relationship out of any two of the Teen Titans. He knew how tense Robin often got, and hoped that his friend could lighten up enough to acknowledge his feelings about Starfire... with a little persuasion, of course.

Right now, Sanza didn't care about Robin, or even about Starfire... well, he cared about Starfire, but not about _Robin and Starfire_. That's it, that's what he didn't care about. What he did care about was that the left side of his waist was covered in a nasty second-degree burn that stung more and more with every waking second that went by.

As Sanza started to respond, the infirmary door slid open. Sanza turned his head, and his eyes stared straight into Starfire's, who was standing in the door and holding what appeared to be a large, blue teapot and a matching blue mug. As she saw Sanza, her face lit up, and she nearly dropped both the teapot and the mug.

"Wonderful, you are awake!" said Starfire, walking over to Sanza and handing him the blue mug of tea. As she did, Sanza could get an easy whiff of the pungent aroma emerging from the cup... a smell that Sanza had never smelled before, but one that he instantly knew he never wanted to smell again. "It is the delicious Tamaranian delicacy of Mulk Tea, a delicious and wonderful treat!"

"I'm not drinkin' this," said Sanza, gently pushing the cup back toward Starfire. Though he was happy to see her, he didn't want to have anything to do with her if she was going to push disgusting liquids in his face.

"Aw, c'mon, Sanza, drink the tea!" said Cyborg, before catching a whiff out of the teapot and wrinkling his nose. _"On second thought, you might have a good point..."_

"But why not?" asked Starfire, looking slightly hurt. "Once you drink it, your ailments will be soothed and your heart will be immediately lifted!"

"Because it probably tastes like shit," said Sanza, his hand still pushing against the side of the cup of tea. Immediately, he could feel Starfire yank the mug away, her red hair swooshing through the air as she violently turned around.

"Hey, that was uncalled for!" shouted Cyborg, rising from his chair and pointing his finger in Sanza's face. Suddenly, Starfire stepped in front of him, turning to look into Cyborg's face.

"Please... I shall speak to Sanza," replied Starfire, gently requesting Cyborg to leave. He nodded, and turned to walk out of the room as Starfire turned back to Sanza, who now began to regret so rudely refusing Starfire's tea. "You know, I do not understand a person like you... one moment, you are telling me that you do not wish to hurt me, that you are sorry for what you have done to me, and that you perhaps wish to be my friend, and the next moment, you are using Earth obscenities to my face! If you did not wish to have some of my tea, you could have been a lot less rude about it..."

__

"Why the hell do I care that I hurt her feelings?" thought Sanza, looking up into Starfire's hurt and angry face with genuine regret. _"She's a Teen Titan... she's the enemy... but she's probably the nicest person I've ever met... _Starfire, it's not... it's not you, it's just..."

Why had Sanza tried so hard to antagonize the Titans, even after he'd made a deal with them to work together to fight Slade? It seemed like even when he wasn't wearing the mask, he was trying to be Red X... trying to intimidate the Titans into helping him instead of being as grateful and friendly as he could.

Sanza's hesitation to inject the Titans with Slade's serum had saved their lives, and they didn't even know it.Is that what he was angry about when he'd woken up? That they should be grateful to him?

He'd come within seconds of killing Starfire, and now he was being rude to her, even after she'd sat by his bedside for two hours to make sure she was okay. Even if he was still the Titans' enemy, still Starfire's enemy... what he'd said, what he'd done... it wasn't right. Maybe right for Red X, but definitely not right for Sanza.

"I'm sorry, Starfire..." said Sanza, looking up into her eyes, which were still narrowed in anger. "I shouldn't have said that..."

"You are right, you should not have... all we were trying to do-"

"Is help me, I know," said Sanza, with a sigh. "You brought me here and took care of me... and Cyborg told me how you stayed in here after Robin and the others bandaged me up. Thank you... I didn't tell you that when you came in, but... thank you."

Immediately, Starfire's expression softened, and her eyes returned to their bright, normal roundness. She gently set down the teapot and mug on the table next to Sanza's bed and sat down on the chair next to him, a slight smile appearing on her face.

"You are welcome..." she said, briefly glancing once more at Sanza's wound before her gaze returned to his face. "I am just glad that you are unharmed... without your help, we may not have won the fight today."

"Of course you would have," replied Sanza, as sincerely as he could. "It was the heat from your energy that caused the robot's armor to weaken enough for us to strike him."

"But it was you and Robin working together that freed me from its grasp when I was captured," said Starfire. "Without both of you together..."

"He'd have found a way, Starfire," replied Sanza, referring to Robin, who Sanza knew from experience would never fail to protect Starfire when her life was in danger.

Starfire smiled, looking up toward the ceiling and thinking of Robin... his bravery, his determination, and his unwavering kindness... when Starfire looked back toward Sanza, she could see that he was smiling, not even trying to hide it.

Sanza couldn't help but feel happy around Starfire, especially when she felt the same way. Whether it was about him or Robin didn't matter, simply seeing Starfire's smile was enough to warm his heart.

"Starfire, you're such a kind person... you'd never hurt anyone unless you were forced to, and when you do have to fight, you still look for the good in the heart of the person you're fighting... you're always looking for the good in people's hearts, that's why... that's why I..."

Sanza didn't know what he was saying, but once he started, he knew he couldn't stop. It was a burden, and he had to get it out into the open. He had to tell Starfire how he felt... he knew that that was the one thing that he had over Robin, was the ability to express himself truthfully. Maybe, just maybe, if he was the first to tell Starfire, she might...

"Sanza, I believe you might be overestimating me..." Starfire said, humbled by Sanza's words. She couldn't remember herself always looking for the good in people... certainly not people like Trigon or Slade, who she fought with all her might without holding back. Even when she fought Red X, she gave it her all, despite the fact that she knew there was a real, maybe good person behind the mask.

And what was Sanza saying to her? Was it everything she wanted Robin to say? She couldn't be sure... she always knew that she'd probably have to be the first to admit her feelings to him, if either of them were actually going to speak without holding back.

"Starfire, I... everything I'm telling you is the truth," said Sanza, who began leaning toward Starfire as he spoke, so that his face was now just a short distance away from hers, and drawing closer. "You really are the nicest person I've ever met..."

And then, before Starfire could respond and before Sanza truly knew what he was doing, his lips brushed against hers, ever so slightly before pressing slightly more forward into an actual kiss... and stayed there for just more than a second, Sanza only pulling away as Starfire realized Sanza's lips had touched hers. Immediately, he shook his head, his now-trembling hand moving up to his now tingling lips.

Starfire didn't know how to respond, and she too raised her hand to her lips. Should she be disgusted? Enraged? Flattered?

"No... I shouldn't have done that," said Sanza, immediately starting to turn away. _"What the hell was I thinking? It's... I'm not the one who should be... _it's Robin you should be with... you care about him, and he cares about you. He deserves someone like you, Starfire... more than I could ever-"

Starfire stood up from the chair and stared at Sanza for several seconds, her face still slightly showing some remnants of shock.

__

"So he does _know..." _thought Starfire. _"He knows that Robin and I... that I..."_

"I'm sorry," said Sanza, though in his mind he was once again beginning to feel happy that he'd gotten away with kissing Starfire, at least a small kiss.

"You... you should be," she replied, narrowing her eyes and trying to sound as indignant as she could. "On my planet, such displays of affection are reserved only for-"

"That's the way it is on this planet too," said Sanza, turning back toward Starfire. His talk with Starfire had made him immediately realize that he had to come clean, not just about his feelings for Starfire, but about what Slade had almost made him do. For Starfire's sake, as well as the other Titans. "Star, go tell Robin and the others that I've got something important to tell them..."

Starfire nodded, picking up her teapot and mug as she walked out of the room.

"And if you ever get the chance..." said Sanza as Starfire walked out the door, "tell Robin how you really-"

The door closed behind Starfire, and Sanza stood up, grimacing from the dull pain in his side.

"Or don't," he said quietly, a frown on his face. "See if I care..."

But Starfire, who still had the memory of Sanza's kiss fresh in her mind, tried to remember the sensation exactly as it was... so that she could juxtapose Robin in Sanza's place. It didn't work, Starfire quickly realized... only a real kiss from Robin could bring that kind of sensation.

__

"I should_ tell Robin how I feel..." _thought Starfire, sighing as she brought the tea items back to the kitchen, all the tea she'd made still swooshing around inside of them. Sanza's kiss hadn't angered her as much as she thought it would... at least she knew how _he _felt... and if he could ever get over his thievery obsession, he might actually be someone Starfire could see herself... maybe... _"...maybe later..."_

O-O-O

Starfire gathered the other four Titans, who came to the living room to find the bandaged Sanza seated in the couch, still dressed in only his blue jeans. As Robin entered the room, he held the Red X costume folded up in his hands. With a slight bit of hesitated, he presented the costume to Sanza, who took it and put it in his lap.

"We still have our deal," said Robin, "and I told you I wasn't going to go back on it."

"That's kind of you," replied Sanza with a bit of sarcasm, resting his elbows on the folded-up costume after checking to see that the utility belt and Xynothium reactor were still in place. They were.

"Now, what was it you wanted to tell us?" Raven asked, having taken the seat on the couch next to Sanza. "Starfire didn't give us any details."

"That's because I didn't give her any," replied Sanza, now beginning to feel nervous as he realized the implications of what he was about to confess. "I wanted to tell all of you at the same time. The robot that attacked the city today was sent by Slade."

"I already knew that," said Robin, "from studying the components of the robot scrap I collected."

"Wait a minute, Sanza... if you knew the robot was made by Slade, why didn't you know how to stop it?" asked Beast Boy.

"Good point," said Robin, glaring over at Sanza. "Did Slade tell you he was sending a robot to-"

"I had no idea he would send it," replied Sanza, "and I don't care if you believe that or not. What I really have to tell you is a lot more important. That robot was sent to activate something... and when it did, I got the wounds on my body that you guys patched up."

"So... Slade sent the robot to hurt you if you didn't do what he said?" asked Raven.

"When you were unconscious, we scanned your body for implants Slade might have placed on you, but none were found," said Cyborg.

"He didn't place an implant on me," Sanza continued. "The robot triggered five syringes that I'd been carrying to explode. Four of them in my pocket, and one in my hand. The syringes continued a liquid that Slade instructed me to inject into each of you. Had I been able to do that, it would have exploded inside your bloodstream, probably killing all of you instantly."

The Titans gasped, and Robin stood up, walking over to Sanza in a burst of rage.

"I trusted you!" Robin shouted, clenching his fists. "I took you in here, trusting that you hadn't been sent by Slade to-"

Sanza stood up, his eyes staring straight into Robin's. He refused to back down.

"Slade told me that the syringes contained tracking devices and nothing else! He didn't trust me either, because he knew that I wouldn't have injected you if I knew they were lethal!"

"Liar!" Robin shouted, grabbing for the costume in Sanza's hands. When Sanza pulled it back, Robin lunged for Sanza's throat.

"Chill!" shouted Beast Boy, standing up and trying to stop Robin from attacking Sanza. "What if he's telling the truth?"

Starfire, slightly stunned by Sanza's confession, couldn't bring herself to stop Robin, but also couldn't bring herself to be mad at Sanza either. Sanza had already promised her that he wouldn't hurt her... she knew that Sanza wouldn't inject her with something that might cause her harm.

But then again, she also knew that Sanza's family could be hurt if Sanza didn't follow Slade's instructions. He obviously valued the lives of his family over the lives of the Titans... but still, there was no way for Starfire to know if Sanza was aware of the true contents of the syringes.

"Beast Boy's right," replied Raven, as much as it pained her to say it. "If Sanza knew about the syringes, he would have also known about the robot, and probably wouldn't have been attacking it as furiously as he was."

"Even if he didn't know, the fact remains that he was still going to inject us with something made by Slade. Even if he thought it was just a tracking device... sabotage is sabotage, and-"

Sanza didn't stay to hear the rest of Robin's speech, because he was already heading for the exit of Titans Tower, slipping on his costume as he walked.

"It's clear that neither you nor Slade trust me," said Sanza, putting the Red X mask over his face. "And I really don't blame you. But if you don't trust me, we can't fight effectively as a team. In other words, the deal is off. I'll take care of Slade myself. Goodbye, Titans."

"You can't leave!" Robin shouted, but Red X was already walking out the door, letting it close loudly behind him. Robin began to give chase, but he was stopped by Starfire's soft hand on his shoulder. The girl was gently shaking her head.

"He is right... we do not trust him," said Starfire softly, still remembering her kiss from earlier.

"He's working for Slade... whether by choice or not, he's still working for Slade... and we can't trust anyone who works for Slade," said Robin, his voice slightly disappointed. _"And I almost thought we _could_ trust Red X..."_

O-O-O

It was the first time Red X had taken this particular elevator... he didn't know where it went, except that it went up, and that it would take him directly to Slade.

__

"We need to talk..." thought Red X, feeling genuinely betrayed by Slade's lie, though he should have known someone like Slade would try to deceive him. _"You really think I'd screw around with my family's lives on the line? What kind of idiot do you take me for?"_

The elevator stopped at the end of a long, narrow hallway on the top floor. It opened up, and Red X stepped out into the hall, barely able to see the large, black double doors at the other end. He could barely hear the sounds of the factory below, echoing up into the dark hallway.

In years past, troubled employees would take this walk to learn from the refinery dispatcher that they were being fired. Now, Red X was taking an equally uneasy walk, though instead of a factory boss, he was dealing with a criminal mastermind who could have him and everyone he cared about erased from the Earth.

He stopped for a second in front of the double doors, reaching out to the handle only to hesitate and pull his hand slightly back. Then, pushing all thoughts of revenge from his mind, he moved to open the door... only to have it open by itself, the doors swinging into the room and revealing Slade standing behind his desk, facing away from the wall toward the monitors on the other side of the room.

"I thought you might show up," said Slade, his hand gesturing to a chair in front of the desk without turning the rest of his body. "Have a seat."

"I'd prefer to stand," replied Red X.

"You really should be more obedient, Sanza... I'll tell you one more time to have a seat, before Maddy gets a bullet to the head."

But instead of sitting down, or even moving toward the chair, Red X held up both of his hands... with middle fingers extended high into the air.

"Cute," Slade replied, knowing that it would take him at least a minute to get his bots into position to attack Sanza's house. Either way, Red X knew he was bluffing, and Slade really didn't care. He'd gotten used to disobedient apprentices... and he'd also gotten to like the challenge of bending them to his will. "I assume the Titans know about the syringes."

"I told you I could kill them in their sleep," said Red X, finally walking over to the chair and sitting down, mostly because his legs were starting to hurt. "You could've at least told me what was in the syringes before your robot caused them to burn off half my pelvis."

With a chuckle, Slade turned around to finally face Red X. He pulled out his own chair and sat down across from him at the desk.

"You wouldn't have killed them with the syringes, just like you wouldn't have killed them in their sleep," said Slade. "Even if you weren't plotting with them against me, which I strongly suspect you are... your sense of honor wouldn't permit you to kill them in such a deceptive fashion. You're one of those... 'gentleman thieves', aren't you?"

"And what does someone like you know about being a gentleman?"

"I tire of this," said Slade, standing up and walking over to Red X, leaning down so that his face was just a few feet away from Sanza's. "Next time, you _will _do as I ask. You act as if your family's lives don't matter..."

"I told you, Slade, if you touch them-"

"You will LISTEN to me and you will do what I ask!" shouted Slade, his hand roughly grabbing Red X's jaw and pulling the thief out of his chair, staring right into his face. "As long as you are my apprentice, you will follow my orders! You're lucky that I'm allowing you to even see your family, let alone allow them to live! And if you're really only pretending to be with the Titans to gain their trust, then why did you come back here? Just to tell me what to do?"

"They don't trust me anymore after that syringe stunt you pulled..." replied Red X, not resisting as Slade continued to hold him off of the ground.

"That's your problem, not mine," said Slade, tossing Red X back down into the chair. "And this little 'honor' thing that you have... you'll have to wean yourself of it really quick if you want to be my apprentice."

"That's just the thing," said Red X, standing back up to face Slade. "I don't."

"Oh, I think you do..." Slade replied, walking over to the other side of his desk and pressing a button. There, on Slade's monitors, was every room in the Salazars' house... including the bathroom, where Sanza's mother was currently taking a shower. Her back was facing the camera, so Slade couldn't really see anything, but the message was clear, and Red X's heart began pounding with rage.

"If you've looked at my sister on that thing, I'll kill you right now," said Red X, pointing his palm at Slade. With a laugh, Slade pressed another button, causing the monitors to switch back to the rooms of the factory.

"I'm not into that sort of thing... but just know that I can tell exactly where your family is, and whatever they're doing."

"I know," said Red X, lowering his hand, "which is the only reason I'm even here in the first place. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got a tower to re-infiltrate."

"You can't escape me that easily," said Slade, not moving as Red X turned to leave his office. "Whenever I want, I can give you new instructions... and believe me, that time will be sooner rather than later. And you're right... good luck getting the Titans to trust you after the syringe incident."

As Red X left the office, Slade mulled over the success of his syringe plan. The way it had been set up was perfect... if Red X injected the Titans before the robot activated the syringes, they'd be dead. If X waited, and the Titans weren't injected, the syringes would be shattered and the Titans would be alive... but there would no longer be any semblance of trust between Red X and the Titans... and no chance of them forming an alliance.

__

"Either way, I win..." thought Slade. _"Because I hate to lose."_

O-O-O

The streets of Jump City were no place to be late at night... even for a fat, bearded man wearing a long, brown overcoat. But that didn't stop Control Freak, who'd escaped from prison and was now out on the town and looking for trouble. He'd even built a new remote control, which he was about to use to create plenty of havoc.

His plan to turn the denizens of Jump City into zombies with a deadly television program had failed, so instead, he was back to robbery... and as he walked down the dark road, under the glow of streetlamps... he was thinking about robbing a house.

The apartment buildings that lined the street would just have to do... and besides, there'd be more people in the apartment, which meant more valuables.

"This'll be great!" said Control Freak, pointing his remote at one of the buildings along the street. But just as he started to press the button that would open the door and allow him access to the building, he heard a familiar voice off in the distance...

"Great to see you back in jail," shouted Robin, flanked by Starfire, Raven, Beast Boy, and Cyborg. "Titans, go!"

Angered, but not surprised to see the Teen Titans, Control Freak smiled and pointed his remote at the nearest thing he could... a blue car parked by the side of the street. Immediately, the car's headlights began flashing, and the car raced down the street toward the Titans, seemingly with a mind of its own.

"It'll take more than a car to stop us," said Raven, gathering her energy. "Azarath, metreon, zinthos!"

A black barrier appeared in the street just in front of the car, but the car simply drove around it, its two front seatbelts snapping forward toward the Titans. The seatbelts ensnared around Robin and Starfire, pulling them both back into the front seat of the car, which continued on past the other three Titans and zoomed uncontrollably down the street.

"You ain't goin' anywhere!" shouted Cyborg, his chest opening to reveal two long chains that zipped out of his chest and toward the back wheels of the car.

While Cyborg was saving his friends, Beast Boy transformed into a powerful ram, charging toward Control Freak and trying to knock the remote from his hands. Control Freak just smiled, leaping up and zapping two nearby streetlamps with the remote. The lamps turned into lasers that fired down upon Beast Boy, making small explosions wherever the lasers impacted. One such explosion made a crater that Beast Boy's two front hooves fell into, knocking him off-balance and sending him hurtling forward, his horns slamming hard into the ground.

Inside the runaway car, Robin was struggling against the seatbelt wrapped around his arms, trying to grab a Bat-a-rang from his utility belt to cut himself loose. Starfire too was taking matters into her own hands, fighting against the seatbelt with all her might. A powerful tug broke her arms free, and she floated out of her seat, following the car as Robin tried to escape.

"I will try and get you out, but you must not move!" called Starfire, looking back to see Cyborg being dragged along by the car, his chains doing little to stop its movement. He planted his feet into the pavement, but that simply created sparks, as the force of the car's motion was far greater than anything Cyborg could do to stop it. "Please, go back and stop Control Freak, Robin and I will-"

A tall brick building suddenly towered before the car, just a few dozen yards away. Robin frantically intensified his struggles, while Starfire gasped and blasted her eye lasers at the seatbelt holding Robin. The blast was precise, and Robin was cut free, leaping into Starfire's arms at the last possible moment before the car slammed into the building in a fiery explosion.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaah!" shouted Cyborg, tossed backward by the force of the blast and hitting his back on the ground. "Unngh..."

"Are you all right, Robin?" asked Starfire, setting Robin down on the ground. He nodded to her, brushing the dust and debris from the explosion off of his costume.

"Thanks, Star... but we need to go back and take care of Control Freak," said Robin, running back down the street as quickly as he could. "I just hope Raven and Beast Boy can handle him until we get back..."

Back at the battle, Raven was using her energy shield to block the blasts from Control Freak's lamp lasers.

"If you think that's the only thing you need to worry about from me, you're dead wrong!" shouted Control Freak, laughing as he pointed his remote at the ground beneath Raven's feet. The asphalt beneath Raven suddenly turned into a quicksand-like goo, sucking Raven under all the way to her waist before hardening again, trapping Raven halfway in the ground.

__

"Not good..." thought Raven, struggling to pull her legs out of their concrete-hardened state. Control Freak walked up to her, looking down at his remote.

"Now I know there's gotta be a mute button on this thing somewhere..." said Control Freak, trying to figure out which of the many buttons to press.

"Azarath, metreon-"

"Ah, here it is!" said Control Freak, slamming his finger down on a small, yellow button. As Raven shouted out the last word, not a single sound could escape from her mouth... her voice had been completely taken away. As Control Freak laughed triumphantly, he felt a violent tug on the back of his overcoat. He turned around to see Beast Boy, now an alligator, his teeth clamped tightly on Control Freak's coat, an angry look in his eyes.

__

"Leave her alone!" thought Beast Boy, snapping at Control Freak with his powerful teeth.

"Crikey, that's a mighty big crocodile!" shouted Control Freak, in a mock Australian accent. He pointed the remote at himself, and his outfit transformed into a khaki jacket and wide-brimmed beige hat. "Or is it an alligator? Guess I'll just have to wrestle it and find out!"

Control Freak grabbed alligator Beast Boy by the neck and locked him in a powerful half-Nelson, much to Beast Boy's surprise. He quickly transformed into a mouse, but just found himself in even more of a headlock.

"Yo, wasn't that show canceled when the dude fed his kid to one of the crocodiles?" shouted Cyborg, his arm cannon pointed directly in Control Freak's face. Robin and Starfire stood at either side of him, their expressions serious.

Control Freak quickly tossed mouse Beast Boy away and stood up, his hands on his hips.

"Speaking of crocodiles, I just got an awesome idea!" shouted Control Freak, pointing his remote down at the street below and pressing a button. Suddenly, every manhole in sight popped open, water from the sewers gushing rapidly into the air. Raven, still trapped halfway in the street and muted by Control Freak, fired a blast downward that freed her legs, enabling her to float up into the air.

"Titans, spread out!" shouted Robin, running to one side of the street as manhole covers began falling all around the Titans.

A loud scream from Starfire caused Robin to look in her direction... only to see her floating nearly ten feet above the ground. Out of every open manhole emerged dozens of alligators, their eyes red with rage. Beast Boy was barely able to detransform from his mouse state and run away just before he would have been completely swallowed up in one of the gators' powerful jaws.

"Attack, my minions!" shouted Control Freak to the alligators, who seemed to obey his every word as they slowly closed in on the five Titans. Starfire and Raven, both of whom could float, quickly grabbed Robin and Cyborg respectively, holding them just out of reach of the gators' grasp.

"Dude, wait up!" shouted Beast Boy, transforming into a bat and flying above the gators as well.

"It's no fun if you're not going to play..." said Control Freak, a disappointed look on his face. "These gators are hungry, they have to eat someone... I guess I can just order them to go into every house on this street, and-"

"Don't you dare!" shouted Robin, dropping from Starfire's grasp and extending his bo staff to begin swatting at the gators. He knocked several of them back into the manholes, but the sheer number of the gators put him at a severe disadvantage.

"I can help," said Cyborg, gently dropping from Raven's grasp and firing multiple concussion blasts at the alligators. Like Robin, he too managed to knock a few of them back into the sewers, but the alligators rapidly regrouped, crawling closer and closer to the two grounded Titans.

"You will not be attacking anyone!" shouted Starfire, firing Starbolts not directly at the gators, but close enough so that the blasts would knock them into the manholes. She mostly concentrated on keeping the gator swarm away from Robin and Cyborg, while knowing that most of the gators were just being knocked back into the crowd, not into the manholes like they needed to be.

"Didn't you hear me?" shouted Control Freak, pressing another button on his remote and causing roller skates to appear on the alligators' feet. "ATTACK!"

With roller skates on, the alligators could go much faster, charging at Robin and Cyborg so fast that Starfire was barely able to keep up with blasting them. Raven too fired her blasts at the alligators, but without being able to speak, she couldn't focus her stronger blasts enough to be able to fire accurately, nearly hitting Robin and Cyborg as she tried to keep the gators away.

__

"This isn't any good if I can't use my focusing chant," thought Raven, her mind racing to come up with a solution. Meanwhile, Beast Boy had transformed into a gorilla, and was swatting away all the gators he could, but now that they had roller skates, he was quickly getting overwhelmed as the gators chomped at his feet and stomach. _"Beast Boy!"_

With as much focus as she could muster, Raven formed a soulself that floated over to Beast Boy and extended its arms, creating a powerful shield around him that blocked off the gators. Beast Boy quickly detransformed, looking up and watching as Raven struggled to keep up the shield.

"Raven, hold on!" shouted Beast Boy, glancing over at Control Freak. _"If I can get his remote, I can press that mute button and give Raven her voice back..."_

"That's right, Titans, you're no match for my alligator army!" shouted Control Freak, laughing as Robin, Starfire, and Cyborg struggled to fight off a crowd of gators, while Raven's soul shield around Beast Boy completely disappeared. "Devour them alive!"

Beast Boy transformed into a gorilla again, charging Control Freak while swatting off any gators that came near. As Beast Boy drew close, Control Freak's eyes widened, and he pointed his remote at the mighty green gorilla, hoping to halt Beast Boy with the press of a button.

"If you watched as many movies as I do, you'd know King Kong always died!" shouted Control Freak before Beast Boy suddenly swatted the remote from his hand with a powerful swipe of his paw. "HEY!"

Beast Boy detransformed and dived on the remote, pointing it at Raven and pressing the same button Control Freak had used to mute her earlier. Almost immediately, he was tackled by dozens of alligators, knocking the remote from his hands and back into Control Freak's.

"I'll take that, thank you very much!" shouted Control Freak, laughing as the gators ripped and bit at Beast Boy's flesh.

"HELP ME!" shrieked Beast Boy, his anguished cry causing Raven to emit a loud gasp.

"Azarath, metreon, ZINTHOS!"

Her powers completely focused, Raven was able to throw out a powerful blast from her body, its energy rushing forward like a shockwave. It slammed into all of the alligators, including the ones attacking Beast Boy, knocking all of them on their backs, and many of them into the sewers. Seeing their chance, Robin, Starfire, and Cyborg let loose with a barrage of bombs, Starbolts, and missile blasts, knocking the remaining gators into the manholes. Before they could reemerge, Raven used her telekinesis to put the covers back on the manholes, sealing the alligators inside.

A weary, bruised, and lacerated Beast Boy stumbled over to the other Titans, his clothes covered in rips from the alligator claws and teeth.

"You... totally owe me..." said Beast Boy, before collapsing into Raven's arms. Sighing, she gently nudged him back on his feet, turning him around to face Control Freak, who looked angrier than ever.

"Let's beat this guy first," Raven said.

"You'll never beat me!" shouted Control Freak. "You barely overcame my gators, and I've got like..."

Control Freak stopped to take a brief count of the buttons on his remote before returning to his speech.

"Forty-five or so more buttons on this thing! So prepare to taste the wrath of the ultimate fighter, and that's the bottom line, if you smellelelelelelelelelelel... what Control Freak is cookin'! BWAHAHAHA! BWAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Control Freak's laughter echoed down the street... and that, combined with the sounds of the ongoing fight, had kept Sanza Salazar awake for the last thirty minutes. He'd had a rough day, it was late, he wanted to sleep, but _someone _kept making a racket outside, and now he was going to find out who. He glanced out the window... and saw Control Freak standing just outside in the street below, still laughing. A quick look to the right brought the Teen Titans into Sanza's view.

"Oh," groaned Sanza, weakly climbing back into bed. "It's just the Titans fighting one of their lousy villains... who for some reason, is right outside my house."

As Sanza buried his face into the pillow to drown out Control Freak's laughter, a thought kept entering into his head. What if Control Freak wasn't there by chance? What if... what if he was merely a warning?

"That's enough!" shouted Robin, clenching his fists and quickly getting frustrated of Control Freak's antics. "Titans, attack!"

And with that, all five Titans rushed forward, only to have Control Freak point his remote at them and offer another snide remark.

"I don't know _what _this button does, so let's all find out together, shall we?"

Control Freak pressed the big red button in the middle of his remote, and all five Titans were surrounded by a bright, red glow. They collapsed to the ground and began clutching their chests, writhing and moaning in pain.

"It feels like... my heart... is gonna burst!" shouted Cyborg, feeling a great deal of pain despite the fact that his heart was mostly robotic. "What the heck did you just do?"

"I guess this must be the heart attack button..." replied Control Freak, watching the Titans' predicament with great amusement. "Who knew all of you were at risk? And so young, too, it's a real shame... BWAHAHAHA!"

"That... laugh..." thought Raven, gritting her teeth as she tried to stand, despite the immense pain in her chest. "I can't stand... that laugh..."

"Hey, Control Douche," said Red X from behind Control Freak, causing him to turn around. "Why don't you just shut the hell up?"

A sticky X shot out from Red X's palm and affixed itself to Control Freak's mouth, turning his laughs into angry, muffled shouts. As he brought up both his hands to remove the X, he clutched the remote to his face as well, accidentally re-pressing the red button. The Titans' remote-control induced heart attacks quickly subsided, and they stood up, all of them looking at Red X.

"You... came back!" shouted Starfire, a smile appearing on her face.

"Actually, I was just in the neighborhood," said Red X, looking down at Control Freak with an angry glare. "Unfortunately for you..."

With a strong tug, Control Freak ripped the X from his face, angrily clutching it in his hand.

"I HATE when people interrupt my favorite show!" shouted Control Freak, shaking his fist at Red X.

"Then maybe you should buy a VCR and tape it," said Red X.

"I'll show you!" Control Freak shouted, hurling the sticky X back at Red X's face. Before Red X could react, the X slapped over the eyeholes of his mask, blinding him. Then, Control Freak pointed his remote control at Red X's belt and pressed a button. Several Xs quickly formed on their own, wrapping around Red X and encasing his body from his neck to the bottoms of his feet, immobilizing him on the ground.

"Bastard!" shouted the blind and bound Red X, struggling on the ground. _"How could I be so stupid to let him get the jump on me like that?"_

"And since you interrupted my show, I'll just have to make a new one... with you as the star!" shouted Control Freak, pointing his remote at Red X.

Suddenly, a barrage of Starbolts slammed into Control Freak's back, and Robin's feet both slammed into the side of his head. As he fell back, a blast from Cyborg's arm cannon hit him in the chest, and Beast Boy, transformed into an armadillo, bounced hard off of his stomach. Before he hit the ground, Raven took telekinetic control of his clothes, tossing him into the air before slamming him hard to the pavement below, along with his remote. As soon as it hit the ground, the remote shattered into pieces. Control Freak screamed in dismay.

"Consider your show canceled," said Robin, just as Red X cut himself free with his wrist blades and ripped the X from his eyes. He began walking over to Control Freak, who was lying on his back on the ground, moaning in pain.

"We are victorious!" said Starfire, gently grabbing Red X's arm as he stood over Control Freak. "You do not have to-"

"I have my own business with him," said Red X, his voice serious as he gently shoved Starfire away. He bent down and picked Control Freak up by his collar, lifting him up to face level.

"Hey, what are you-" Beast Boy began to say.

"Who sent you here? Was it Slade?" shouted Red X at the now-trembling Control Freak, who began rapidly shaking his head.

"I don't know what you're talking a-"

"I WANT THE TRUTH!" Red X shouted furiously. Against his best judgment, Control Freak snickered and offered up the first answer he could come up with.

"You can't... handle... the truth?" said Control Freak nervously. Red X growled and tossed him hard to the ground, pointing his palm in Control Freak's face.

"YOU THINK THIS IS A FUCKING GAME?" shouted Red X, ready to blast Control Freak to kingdom come. Almost immediately, Robin grabbed Red X by the arms and spun him around.

"What do you think you're doing?" shouted Robin, almost as furiously as Red X was shouting. "He's not working for Slade!"

"Then why did he come here, to _my _neighborhood?" shouted Red X, pointing at the apartment where he lived. "He was standing in front of my home!"

"I swear, I... it was just a coincidence-"

"Shut up," said Raven, looking down at Control Freak with an angry glare. "Just because Red X isn't going to waste you doesn't mean you're not going to jail."

"X, you said that if you followed Slade's instructions, he'd leave your family alone," said Robin. "Obviously, he's double-crossed-"

"He suspects that I'm plotting with the five of you against him," said Red X, looking down toward the ground. "I knew it wasn't a good idea to come to the tower..."

With a heavy sigh, Red X turned back toward his house. Suddenly, a hand went on his shoulder. Expecting it to be Starfire's, he turned around... only to see Robin standing behind him.

"You did the right thing by coming to us," said Robin. Red X pulled away, walking back across the street toward his house.

"Yo, man... didn't you hear Robin?" asked Cyborg. Red X stopped, but didn't turn around. "He said-"

"I heard him," replied Red X, "and I don't care. It was a mistake. I endangered my family, and I endangered all of you. Not that I care about the last thing, but-"

"Please... come back to the tower with us," said Starfire. Robin began to say something, but then realized that Starfire was right... he'd turned Red X away far sooner than he probably should have. If Red X was _that _concerned about Slade, then maybe he legitimately wanted the Titans' help... and if X wasn't tricked into trying to kill the Titans again, legitimately could be trusted.

"Are you kidding?" asked Red X, turning back toward the Titans. "I'm tired. I'm going back to sleep. I'll come tomorrow... if I feel like it."

Then, without another word, Red X dashed back up the fire escape and up into his room.

__

"I know you want us to help you beat Slade..." thought Robin, the last to watch Red X as he leapt into his window. _"But first, you've got to help us help you... and not endanger us when you follow Slade's orders. If you can steal a Xynothium reactor, kidnap Starfire, and help us beat guys like Plasmus and Control Freak, I know you can protect both your family and us at the same time."_

Robin turned back to the Titans, who were standing around a now-unconscious Control Freak.

"C'mon, guys..." said Robin, walking back toward Titans Tower. "Let's take Control Freak to jail and head back home."

O-O-O

After removing his costume, Sanza tried for nearly a half-hour to get to sleep, but it seemed that the adrenaline from the battle was still coursing through his body, and it would take quite a while to return to the land of slumber.

__

"I've still got to memorize those ten Bible chapters..." thought Sanza, walking sleepily over to his desk and opening his Bible to Luke, chapter one. "Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those things-"

The sound of Sanza's cell phone ringing interrupted his study and drew him over to his bedside table, where his cell phone lay.

"I thought I turned this thing off..." groaned Sanza, picking up the phone and answering it. "Hello?"

"You told me you could kill the Titans in their sleep..." came Slade's voice on the other end. Immediately Sanza's eyes shot wide open, and he quickly became alert. "Then prove it. It's one thirty in the morning, they're probably sleeping right now."

Sanza didn't say a word, continuing to hold the phone in his hand as Slade spoke.

"I don't care whether they trust you or not. Sneak into the tower if you have to. If you're not a liar, you'll kill them all. I trust that I'll never see the Teen Titans again after this conversation... oh, and good night, Sanza. Pleasant dreams."

The connection ended.

O-O-O

Now the Titans are in trouble... or is Sanza the one in harm's way? He might already be on every Robin/Starfire fan's hit list after kissing Starfire... not that it was really a romantic kiss, but... and of course, Sanza's now got to go kill Starfire, along with the rest of the Titans. Is this the moment of truth? Find out next chapter...


	16. Day of Discovery

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Teen Titans. If I did, this would be on TV and not here.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This doesn't take place in the same storyline as my "Forced Base" and "Fractured Heart" stories, so forget those when you're reading this. Also, this takes place after the fourth season, so anything that happens in the show after that isn't applicable to this. Also, about Sanza/Red X: When he's wearing the mask, he's Red X. When he's not, he's Sanza. Simple as that.

O-O-O

Knowing that the Teen Titans would probably take at least an hour to get to sleep after taking Control Freak off to jail, Sanza waited until just after three to put on his Red X costume and head over to the tower.

He entered the tower the same way that he had when he'd broken in to steal Raven's mask: through the underwater T-Sub entrance, past the marine supply storage room, and up to the first hallway he found. Unlike the last time, however, security wasn't nearly as tight, and he found that he could walk the now-darkened halls without being detected. Despite this, he tried to be as quiet as he could... the Titans were asleep, and any errant noises could easily awake them. He walked all the way to the front room of the tower before stopping to work out a plan in his mind.

Could Red X really go through with killing the Teen Titans in their sleep? If he couldn't, Slade's retaliation would likely be swift... but after all that X had gone through to gain at least some of the Titans' trust, killing them now would be...

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"This is what has to be done," thought Red X, extending his arm blades and exiting the main room through the large white door at the back, walking down the long hallway toward the elevator. _"And I know who I have to go after first..."_

And that person was Starfire. If X could kill her, killing the other Titans would be a snap... and it was certainly best to get the most difficult job out of the way first.

Red X stepped into the elevator, pressing the button that would take him up to the tenth floor, and the Titans' rooms, where all of them were supposedly sound asleep. As the elevator slowly went up the long shaft leading to the tenth floor, Red X sat slumped against the wall, staring at the blades coming out of his wrists.

__

"They're sharp..." thought Red X, looking down and noticing the shine from the elevator's dim light coming off of the blade. _"It shouldn't take more than one slash across the throat... she won't suffer... she'll just-"_

The elevator stopped, but instead of getting out, X continued to slump against the far wall, his head resting against his hands, which were now trembling.

__

"You can do this, X..." he thought, slowly standing up and walking out of the elevator. _"You _have _to do this... think of mom and Maddy... think of Slade watching them in their sleep, right now... think of..."_

And as Red X began to think of Slade... his ever-present gaze probably locked on Maddy's sleeping form, watching her as she dreamt peacefully on her bed, his fists clenched tightly, his teeth gritting in anger. He'd come to Titans Tower to get the Teen Titans to help him end Slade's reign of terror once and for all... so why was he the one who ended up doing Slade's dirty work?

__

"He'll kill my family..." thought Red X, slowly opening the door to Starfire's room. As it slid open, he remembered the last time he'd been in here... he was looking for Raven's room, but had stumbled in here instead. The room was as beautiful as X remembered it, and its wonderful aroma had only become more pleasant in his absence. It only took a brief look to see Starfire, her eyes closed, her body stretched out on her soft, pink bed, uncovered by blankets or sheets. Her stomach slowly moved up and down with her slow breaths, its soft skin visible due to the fact that Starfire wore her midriff costume to bed.

X slowly walked over to her, his sharp blades extended from his wrists.

__

"I can't let myself think about this..." Red X thought, lowering both of the blades to Starfire's neck and crossing them like a pair of scissors. But as he looked down at her beautiful face, her hair stretched out over the end of the bed and her eyes gently closed, he couldn't help thinking about what he was going to do. What he had to do to protect his family... _"It won't hurt her... it won't hurt Starfire..."_

But no matter how much he tried, he couldn't bring himself to move the blades toward Starfire's neck, even a fraction of an inch. There they were, poised in perfect position to end Starfire's life in one motion, and Red X couldn't move the blades. He kept thinking of everything Starfire had told him... her kindness, her beautiful voice forgiving him for his actions, her soft lips brushing across his...

Red X retracted the blades into his wrists and collapsed to his knees beside Starfire's bed. Turned away from her, he ripped off his mask, hurled it to the floor, and put his face into his hands.

"What is _wrong _with me?" thought Sanza, nearly beginning to sob as he realized that no matter what Slade had told him, no matter how much danger his family was in, he couldn't kill Starfire... in fact, he couldn't kill _any _of the Titans. Ever since he'd taken the Red X suit, they'd been nothing but obstacles in his way, but he couldn't bring himself to kill them, even to save his family's life. Holding back his tears, he picked up his mask, stood up, and slowly began to walk out of the room, hanging his head in sadness and shame.

It was then that Starfire groggily sat up in her bed, rubbed her eyes, and saw Sanza just starting to walk out the door of her room. With a gasp of surprise, she let out a quiet scream.

"What are you doing in my room?" asked Starfire, more surprised than angry.

Sanza sighed and turned around, hoping that he could come up with a story that would appease Starfire, who was probably startled out of her wits.

"Well, I-"

He couldn't. Sanza knew he'd have to tell the truth, as terrible as it might be.

"After you guys left, and I went back to my room... I got a call from Slade," Sanza said reluctantly. "He told me to come here and kill all of you."

Starfire's eyes grew wide, but instead of gasping again, she remained silent, wondering why Sanza was walking the opposite way from her if he was really going to kill her. Then, she too realized why Sanza had been trying to leave.

"...and you did not wish to do that, did you?" asked Starfire softly. Sanza nodded, his eyes reflecting a sad sincerity that Starfire hadn't seen from him before.

"I... I tried to kill you first, and I got up to your bed, but when I held the blade to your neck, I... I just couldn't do it, Star... I couldn't go through with-"

"I know, Sanza," said Starfire, climbing out of her bed and walking over to him, unafraid that Sanza might still try to kill her. She believed him when he said he'd never intentionally hurt her, and knew that if he couldn't bring himself to kill her while she was asleep, he certainly wouldn't try while she was awake. "You are our friend-"

"No, I'm not," said Sanza, turning away from Starfire. "Don't try to confuse honor and our alliance with friendship. I'll still a thief, and I'm only teaming up with you to take out Slade. If it wasn't more convenient to keep all of you alive-"

Just like that, Sanza was putting on his 'tough act' again. But Starfire could detect the nervousness in his voice, and she could instantly see how vulnerable and scared Sanza truly was. The only reason he'd come to the tower was because his family was in danger... and if he was willing to put his family in danger just to keep the Titans alive, he certainly thought of them as more than 'partners of circumstance'.

"We will fight Slade together... you, and me, and the rest of the Titans... and together, we will keep your family safe..." said Starfire, her hand reaching out to touch Sanza's shoulder.

"I tried to kill you," replied Sanza, surprised that Starfire would actually be so willing to help him just seconds after he'd had a blade to her throat, ready to extinguish her life. _"There's a real fine line between kind and naive, and I think she just crossed it."_

But Starfire's naiveté extended only to matters of Earthly customs. When it came to relationships with others and knowing whom to trust, she knew her conscience to be an excellent guide. Sanza wasn't a dangerous or cruel person... he needed help, help to save both himself and his family from the dangerous machinations of Slade... and if Starfire couldn't give that help, what kind of superheroine was she?

"And we are trying to help you..." said Starfire, her gentle voice immediately making Sanza realize that he had nothing to fear from an alliance with the Titans. He'd made the right decision in leaving them alive... and if Starfire trusted him, he would have to trust her to protect his family.

"Thank you," said Sanza, once more slipping on his Red X mask and walking out of the room. "Now if you excuse me, I'd like to get back to bed... there's still a bed in that Terra girl's room, right?"

With a nod, Starfire gently shut the door behind Red X before returning to her own bed and lying back down on its soft surface. She too had her doubts about trusting Sanza... trusting Red X so soon after he'd apparently been within seconds of killing her.

But if he felt the same way about her that she felt about Robin, she knew she had nothing to fear.

__

"Because I would never harm Robin..." thought Starfire, gently closing her eyes. _"And the enemy of my enemy is my friend... which is why I know that Red X will be a great help in our battle against Slade."_

O-O-O

After a dreamless night, Red X awoke in the still-decorated room of the Titans' former comrade, Terra. The beautiful night sky and rocky canyon murals were a far cry better than the drab, white, poster-slathered walls of the room Red X normally had to sleep in, and even the bed was better, its firm mattress a relaxing experience for X's back.

Slade's dark mission having faded like a distant memory, Red X's only concern now was to keep his alliance with the Titans long enough to end Slade's control over him and his family once and for all. He sat up in the bed and stretched out his arms, giving a yawn before standing up and walking out of the room, striding down the hallway toward the elevator.

Starfire's recent words were still fresh in Red X's mind... _"we will fight Slade together... you, and me, and the rest of the Titans... and together, we will keep your family safe."_

It was a promise as sacred as his own promise not to hurt Starfire. It was a promise he'd almost broken the previous night, but despite this, Starfire still trusted him... still wanted to be his friend.

__

"Just friends," thought Red X, stepping into the elevator and standing still as it made its way to the ground floor of the tower. _"At least you're with someone who will protect you better than I can. I can barely keep my own family safe..."_

Red X stepped out of the elevator and walked down the hallway toward the main room of the tower. As the door opened, Robin, who'd been sitting on the couch waiting for breakfast, greeted Red X with a smile and a wave.

"So you decided to come back, huh?" Robin asked, watching as Red X entered the room and walked right down the center, toward the front door of the Tower. "Maybe after breakfast, we can begin training again and-"

"I'd love to, but I've got school," replied Red X, not even bothering to look at Robin as he walked toward the door. "The only reason I came here is because Slade sent me to kill you. But that would be breaking our alliance, so I didn't do it. What I need all of you to do is pretend to be dead until we fight Slade. Can you do that?"

"Uh... well, if we get a call from the city-" Robin began, knowing that the Titans couldn't pretend to be dead if an enemy attacked.

"Just forget it," Red X replied, walking out the door. As he did, one last thing came to Robin's ears. "If my family dies though, the deal is off."

The front door of the tower closed behind Red X, allowing Robin to sit at the couch and ponder what X had said. Slade's instructions must've been incredibly specific for Red X to come to the Tower because of them. Either he was coming to reaffirm the alliance so the Titans could take care of Slade faster, or...he was coming to the Tower to kill the Titans, and was waiting for the perfect time to strike.

Either way, Red X had given no indication that he was about to betray the deal he'd made with the Titans. Starfire hadn't told him about the incident in her room the previous night, so for all Robin knew, X had walked in the front door, fallen asleep in one of the rooms upstairs, maybe Terra's, and was ready to begin training with the Titans again.

Robin continued to think, but a call from the kitchen quickly alerted him to the table at which the Titans normally ate. Starfire, Raven, Beast Boy, and Cyborg were already there, hastily eating the breakfast that Cyborg had prepared.

"Say, did any of you guys see X this morning?" asked Robin, placing a pair of eggs on his plate. Starfire had seen him even before then, but she didn't say a word.

"He came back?" asked Cyborg, a slightly surprised look on his face. "What made him change his mind?"

"Apparently, Slade's increased the pressure on his family," replied Robin. "He came here to kill us, but instead of doing that, he just wants Slade to think we're dead."

"I see..." said Raven, quietly listening to the conversation as she ate. Meanwhile, Beast Boy transformed into a dog and played dead on the floor, obviously wanting to make a joke of Robin's comment. Raven, not finding his joke funny in the least, flicked an egg that landed on the green dog, who instinctively licked it off with his canine tongue without realizing what he was doing. "You know you just ate a baby chicken, right?"

Immediately, Beast Boy detransformed, pretending to throw up onto the floor.

"Oh, real mature, Raven!" Beast Boy shouted at the blue-cloaked girl, who merely ignored him and continued eating her breakfast.

"Guys, this is serious," said Robin, a somber look appearing on his face. "If we don't do something about this situation soon, Red X might be forced to take matters into his own hands."

"What about putting Sanza's family under police protection?" Cyborg suggested, quickly causing Robin to shake his head.

"This is _Slade _we're talking about here. If we're BARELY able to stop Slade, how would a few police officers be able to do anything? We'd have to get half the cops in the city to even begin to have the protection we'd need," said Robin.

Starfire, concerned for both Sanza and his family, offered a suggestion of her own.

"Perhaps we could bring them all here and allow them to stay until the danger is past!" said Starfire. "Sanza has an absolutely wonderful sister, and I am sure that-"

"That wouldn't work either," said Robin, shaking his head. "We can't disrupt their lives like that, and besides, they'd wonder why we needed them here in the first place. That would require that Sanza tell his family about Red X... and I think that's a decision Sanza should be able to make on his own."

"Well, Sanza's probably coming back here after school gets out, so I'll get a training stage made up for him," said Cyborg, picking up his empty plates and dishes and walking over to the sink. "By the time he gets here, it should be tougher than anything he's ever experienced... including us!"

After Cyborg left, Beast Boy and Raven also finished their breakfasts and left the room, leaving Robin and Starfire alone in the kitchen to talk.

Ever since Starfire had been kissed by Sanza, she couldn't stop thinking about Robin, and how he'd never shown such affection to her... how he'd never really admitted his feelings like Sanza had. She knew he had a good reason... he was protecting her, and he wasn't the kind of person to just show his feelings to anyone, even someone like her.

Robin, on the other hand, had been amazed by how accurately Sanza had been able to pick out his feelings for Starfire... and what he'd told him about showing those feelings. At the first sign of affection, someone like Slade could pounce... and that would put both Robin _and_ Starfire in danger.

"Robin... yesterday, Sanza told me... he told me that I could see the goodness in people that I was fighting, even if they were terrible criminals... Robin, is that true? Am I really too sympathetic for the people that we are trying to catch?"

The question was sudden, and Robin didn't quite know how to answer right away. Part of what Sanza said, however, Robin knew was true. Starfire was especially skilled at seeing the good in people... but for all the kindness she had, it didn't in the least effect her ability to fight. What Robin admired about Starfire was that she could be both gentle and strong, and knew exactly when she needed to be what. Such a mix of strength and kindness was unlike anything Robin had ever seen in any other individual, and that was why he... why he had such strong feelings for someone like Starfire.

"Star, you know exactly how I think about you... you're the strongest girl I've ever met, and the bravest, too."

"But Robin... am I-"

_"Is this about what I've been saying to her over the past few days? That she's too nice to Red X?" _thought Robin, realizing just what Starfire might be getting at. _"Every instinct she's had about him has been right so far... if anything, I might've been too harsh with him."_

Or was it something else? Was Starfire trying to draw an emotion out of Robin, like she'd been able to occasionally do in the past? Robin knew that he couldn't let Starfire know exactly how he felt about her... if the two of them both got caught up in emotion, it would certainly effect their ability to fight. At least that's what Robin had been taught...

"Starfire, you're just fine... that's great that you're able to see the goodness in people, Star... sometimes you can see emotions and thoughts in people that I can't," said Robin, which, while slightly satisfying, wasn't quite the answer Starfire was looking for.

She'd have to use a different approach to get the response she wanted... she _really _didn't want to tell Robin this, for fear of how he might react... she knew that he was hiding some of his feelings for her, and though he didn't show them, he still had them nonetheless.

"Also, yesterday... during our conversation, Sanza sort of... he sort of... kissed me," said Starfire, immediately causing Robin's eyes to widen. "On the lips."

Without knowing it, Robin could feel the jealousy swirling through him. And with that jealousy came a bit of anger...

"He _kissed _you?"said Robin, just below the level of a shout. "Starfire, did you ask him to kiss you, or-"

"No, he just... we were talking, and before I knew it, our lips were touching... it was not unpleasant, but-"

__

"Not unpleasant?" thought Robin, a bit surprised and suddenly a bit more jealous. He turned away from Starfire, trying to conceal the nervous twitch that was starting to take hold of his body, and the frown that was slowly forming on his face. "Uh, Star... I mean, I know he likes you, but-"

It was now or never for Starfire, who knew that she had to tell Robin something she'd been trying to reveal slowly to him for quite some time. She cared deeply for Robin, just as much if not more than Sanza cared for her. Maybe if she told him the truth... maybe if she opened up, then he'd pull back the curtain just a little bit... maybe Robin would-

"Robin, I-"

"Starfire, would you like to... I mean, later on today, maybe you and I could... go out?"

Robin almost couldn't believe what he was saying, but the words still escaped his lips, and his eyes stared deeply into Starfire's, while on his face, his frown had become a nervous, slight smile.

"...of course, Robin!" Starfire's voice was one of slightly restrained jubilance. "I mean, I am... I am your girlfriend, correct?"

__

"So she hasn't forgotten..." thought Robin, his nervousness fading slightly as a normal, calm look returned to his face. "Sure, Starfire... I guess if you wanted to, you could call this a-"

"Do not tell me, I know the Earth meaning of 'date'," said Starfire, still smiling excitedly. "I do not wish to spoil this or anything, but... what about the training of-"

"Cyborg's making up the training program, and Beast Boy and Raven will be here... I'm sure they can handle working with Red X until we get back," said Robin, standing up and still smiling at Starfire. "Besides, after all the stressful stuff that's been going on lately, it'll be nice to be able to go out and have a relaxing time."

Starfire stood up and immediately wrapped her arms tightly around Robin's back, squealing with joy as she embraced him.

"Most wonderful!" said Starfire, slowly releasing her hold on Robin. "I assure you, we will have a very enjoyable time!"

Starfire walked out of the kitchen with a spring in her step, leaving Robin alone by the table. He too slowly walked out, a smile still on his face as he thought of Starfire.

__

"We both deserve a break..." thought Robin. _"And Starfire deserves to be happy... especially after everything she's been through."_

O-O-O

Sanza exited the school building, feeling as he almost always did after a hard day of school... glad that it was over, and tired after having done all that difficult schoolwork.

Of course, his real work for the day was just beginning... after a quick trip home to pick up his Red X suit, he'd be going back to Titans Tower, training with them for what would certainly be a difficult battle with Slade.

But as he walked over to the bus, he heard a familiar voice calling him from the school parking lot.

"Hey, Sanza!" shouted Cleo, sitting in the parking lot and waving to him from the driver's seat of her car as he neared the bus. "Wanna ride home with me today?"

Since the weekend, Sanza had seen Cleo only in a couple of his classes... he knew he'd been neglecting her, and he also knew that after kissing Starfire, kissing Cleo just wouldn't feel... adequate? Was that the proper word? Well, at least it wouldn't feel the same. Still, Cleo was his friend, and at the moment, the two were a couple. Unofficially, from Sanza's standpoint, but still a couple. He walked over to her car, opening the passenger door and climbing inside.

"I haven't seen you since Algebra II class... you remember our date Saturday, right?" asked Cleo, a smile on her face.

"How could I forget?" replied Sanza, leaning over and kissing Cleo on the lips. Sure enough, it didn't feel the same... Cleo's lips didn't have the same soft, tender texture that Starfire's had... Star's lips even tasted better than Cleo's, despite her cherry-flavored lip balm. "Haven't been in this car before..."

"It's nice, isn't it?" asked Cleo, leaning over to Sanza. "I can't tell you how many little brats I had to babysit to get this thing... I think I know every episode of Barney by heart."

Sanza chuckled, leaning back to his seat and reaching up to feel the soft upholstery of the car's ceiling.

"I still have to babysit _and _work at the fast food place just to pay the insurance on this thing," said Cleo, with a look of disgust. "You know who really runs the world?"

"Uh... George W. Bitch?" Sanza replied.

"Hell no," said Cleo, turning the key in her ignition and starting the car. "Insurance companies. I mean, there are laws to make you get car insurance, which is the only reason that they can get away with charging so damn much! I'm telling you, it's just one big corporate racket, and-"

"Watch out!" said Sanza, reaching over and grabbing the steering wheel just as Cleo was about to back into a student. Cleo gasped, hitting the brakes just inches away from the student. _"She's almost as distracted as I am..."_

"That was close, huh?" Cleo giggled, waiting for the student to pass before backing out the rest of the way and driving out of the parking lot. "Geez, if I'd have hit him they'd probably jack my insurance up another two hundred a month..."

Cleo drove through the streets of the city, reaching Sanza's street in less than five minutes. As she reached the final intersection before Sanza's apartment, she turned to him, a smile on her face.

"You wanna... I mean, not a date, but like... get something to eat before I take you back home?" asked Cleo.

__

"I should probably be getting over to Titans Tower..." Sanza thought, looking down at his watch. _"Eh... I can at least get something to eat before I go. Can't train on an empty stomach anyway... _okay Cleo, sure, wherever you wanna go."

"Awesome!" said Cleo, turning right onto another street and driving until she reached the burger restaurant where she worked. "With my employee discount, I can totally get us some food for half-price. Is that okay with you?"

"Since I don't have any money with me, I guess it is," said Sanza as Cleo pulled her car into the parking lot. "I guess I'll pay you back tomorrow-"

"That's okay, like I said, it's half-price since I work here," replied Cleo, turning the key in the ignition and stepping out of the car. "C'mon, let's go!"

O-O-O

Sanza and Cleo spent nearly two hours in the restaurant, mostly talking about all sorts of different subjects. While Cleo wasn't Starfire, she was a great friend... witty, friendly, always fun to be around. It was no surprise to Sanza that he'd spent two hours talking to her, and when she took him back home, he almost didn't want to leave. Still, he knew that the Titans would be expecting him, and there'd be plenty of time for dating after Slade was defeated.

"I had a really awesome time, Sanza..." said Cleo, stopping the car in front of the apartment where Sanza lived. "You're definitely the coolest guy I've ever met."

"Thanks," replied Sanza, opening his door and starting to step out of the car. "You're pretty cool yourself..."

"Hey," she said, gently tugging on his arm as he tried to leave the car. He looked at Cleo, who had a sly smile on her face. "You can't go just yet..."

"Why is-"

But before Sanza could speak, Cleo wrapped her arms around his back and pulled him into a long, sensual kiss, her tongue slipping deeply into his mouth. She held her lips against his for nearly ten seconds before slowly allowing Sanza to pull away.

"I can't believe I almost forgot that..." said Sanza, smiling as sweat started to drip down his face. _"Damn, maybe I should really rethink this whole Starfire thing..."_

"Maybe on Saturday, you won't forget..." said Cleo, waving to Sanza as she slowly pulled away in her car. "Seeya, Sanza!"

Sanza stood on the sidewalk for several seconds, still slightly flustered from Cleo's kiss. Finally, he composed himself enough to walk up the fire escape to his window.

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"Hopefully by then," thought Sanza, climbing through the window into his room, _"Slade will already be history..."_

O-O-O

This time, Red X could enter the tower through the front door, knowing that the Titans were expecting him. When he entered the main room of the tower, however, he couldn't see any of the usual signs of activity that he'd come to expect. Instead, he could hear the sounds of a video game being played on the big screen television, and that was about it. When he took a closer look, he saw Beast Boy seated on the couch.

"You're late," said Beast Boy, not turning from his game as Red X walked up behind the couch.

"Where are the others?" asked Red X, staring at the video game on the screen. "Did they get tired of waiting for me?"

"Robin and Starfire left a short time ago to go on a date," said Beast Boy. Red X jumped back, a look of shock on his face under the mask.

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"Damn..." thought Red X, looking down at the floor and sighing. _"Guess Starfire must've taken my advice..."_

"You're not mad, are you?" Beast Boy asked, pausing his game and looking back at Red X with a smile. "I mean, I know you like Starfire-"

"Shut up, or I'll make you shut up," replied Red X in an annoyed tone. "What about the other two? Raven and Cyborg? Are they going out on a date too?"

__

"Heh, that'll be the day," thought Beast Boy, leaning back on the couch. "Actually, Cyborg's outside in the training area, and Raven is-"

"Training area, got it," said Red X, walking out of the room. _"Maybe he can get me another battle with that Slade simulation..."_

O-O-O

"Where is he?" grumbled Cyborg, adjusting several wires on the inside of the training console before closing it back up and screwing a few bolts back into place. "It's more than two hours after his school gets out... I wonder if he got held up by Slade?"

Cyborg knew that Robin and Starfire were taking a chance by going out after Red X had instructed the Titans to pretend they were dead... but then again, Slade would only notice the Titans if they stopped one of his mechanical monsters, or if they attacked his headquarters. He certainly wouldn't know about two Titans out on the town, would he?

The battlefield created by Cyborg was a series of platforms, some taller than others, the tallest reaching up nearly a hundred feet in the air. The floor had been programmed to cushion any fall greater than fifty feet, so any battle scenarios wouldn't be too dangerous... of course, if Red X didn't show up, it would be a moot point.

Suddenly, Cyborg could hear the entrance to the training plateau open up, and as he looked down to see who'd come in, he breathed a sigh of relief.

"I almost thought you decided not to show up!" shouted Cyborg, slightly annoyed by Red X's tardiness. Red X gave him a quick look, but didn't say anything as he walked out onto the battle plateau.

"Yeah, well it seems like two of your friends _didn't_," said Red X, still slightly angry and jealous at the news that Robin and Starfire were going out. Not only angry that Starfire was going out with Robin, but angry that they weren't laying low like he'd asked. "If Slade finds out-"

"Don't worry, it's not like he'll be going to the movies anytime soon," said Cyborg, adjusting a few of the controls on the training console. "So, are you ready to start training again?"

"I'd like you to bring up that Slade simulation," said Red X. "After last night, I really feel like I need to slam my fist into somebody's face."

"Actually," said Cyborg, leaping down to face Red X, "I wouldn't mind going a couple rounds with you myself... y'know, see how tough we both are."

Red X let out an annoyed groan, clearly not wanting to duel the Teen Titan standing before him. He wanted to duel the Slade simulation, or if he couldn't do that, work on teamwork training with the rest of the Titans. He already knew he could beat the snot out of Cyborg, and doing that wasn't going to be any help in defeating Slade.

"You're kidding, right?" asked Red X, staring up at Cyborg, who must've been at least a foot taller than he was. "This suit was made specifically to take you down."

"You know the circuitry-shorting trick won't work anymore, right?" asked Cyborg, a casual smirk on his face.

"Yeah, but I know this still works," said Red X, shoving his palm into Cyborg's chest. Almost instantly, a large, metallic X appeared, slamming Cyborg backward until it imbedded in one of the rocky platforms behind him, pinning Cyborg's arms and legs helplessly to the thick rock.

"Hey, man, that's cheating!" shouted Cyborg, just before his entire body was covered in a layer of thick, suffocating Xynothium goo. Red X lowered his palm and walked toward the exit of the training area, satisfied that he'd sufficiently immobilized his would-be sparring partner.

"I don't have time for this crap," said Red X, as the training area door slowly opened. "I'll come back when you're seriously ready to-"

Suddenly, Red X could feel a severe burning sensation against his back. Then, a powerful explosion, knocking him to the ground and forcing the wind from his chest. He groaned and looked up to see a large, smoldering hole in the Xynothium cocoon around Cyborg's body... then watched as the cocoon and the metallic band holding Cyborg to the platform exploded in a burst of red, sending Xynothium debris flying all over the battlefield.

"Is that the best you can do?" shouted Cyborg, running over to the stunned Red X and grabbing him by the back of the neck. "You're really gonna have to stop underestimating your opponent!"

With a powerful throw, Cyborg hurled Red X out onto the rocky outcropping, his body landing between two of the platforms. He quickly hopped to his feet and shot several exploding Xs at the rapidly charging Cyborg, who leapt up to avoid them and swung his fist downward, missing Red X and instead throwing up several chunks of rock into the air.

Red X leapt away from Cyborg and climbed up a short platform that rose just above Cyborg's head. Then, he leapt down, grabbed Cyborg by the cranium and threw him into the side of a much taller platform, creating a large hole as Cyborg's body made impact.

"You really want to fight me?" asked Red X, leaping back up onto the short platform and shooting dozens of exploding Xs down at Cyborg and the rocky formations below. Most of the Xs slammed into platforms, either blowing them up or knocking them over. The rest of the Xs hit Cyborg, who used his arms to shield his face from the blasts just before being hit. The smoke from the explosion had barely disappeared when debris from the platforms X had destroyed began raining down on Cyborg, burying him in a small mountain of rocky rubble. With a laugh, Red X leapt to the nearest available platform, his feet now about seven yards up from the ground. He looked down at the pile of rocks and could see no movement, a sure sign that Cyborg had been knocked unconscious. "I told you, you're a waste of my-"

But Cyborg wasn't unconscious, or even buried under the rocks. Instead, he'd rolled out of the way and was now running up the side of the platform that Red X was on. Red X turned around, only to see the robot's powerful fist slam straight into his face, knocking him off the side of the platform and down to the hard ground below.

He reached out his arm and was barely able to catch the side of the platform with his fingers, hanging on with all of his might as Cyborg looked down at him, a broad smile on his face.

"Now I know you didn't think you beat me already, did you?" said Cyborg, raising his foot above Red X's hand. Thinking quickly, Red X shot out a sticky X that slapped over Cyborg's eyes, blinding him and causing him to stumble back. Then, he released his grip on the side of the platform, allowing himself to fall to the ground below.

Red X hit the ground, his legs shaking only slightly as they made contact with the rocky plateau floor. He immediately extended his right wrist blade, slashing against the base of the platform and leaping back as it fell toward the ground, with the blinded Cyborg still on top.

Cyborg was able to rip the X from his eyes just as the platform began to fall, taking him with it.

"Hey, man, that ain't cool!" was the last thing Cyborg shouted before the platform hit the ground and shattered into pieces, this time burying Cyborg for sure. Knowing that Cyborg would probably get up, Red X ran to the tallest platform on the battlefield, the enormous ten-story tower of rock at the center of the plateau. Using clinging Xs on his hands, he quickly climbed the platform, all the way to the top. Then, he fired an exploding X at every other platform he could see, destroying all of them and causing the entire battlefield to become shrouded in a thick cloud of dust and rock.

__

"Let's see if your systems can handle a dust storm..." thought Red X, staring down into the cloud of dust and looking for any sign of life. _"I know _that _didn't knock you out..."_

When the dust cleared, X could clearly see Cyborg, standing below him next to the platform. Red X walked over to the edge of the platform and sat down, letting his feet dangle over the side.

"What are you waiting for?" asked Red X, looking down at Cyborg. "You gonna blow up the platform?"

"From that height, it'd probably be a pretty bad fall, wouldn't it?" asked Cyborg, knowing that the cushioning mechanism he'd programmed into the battlefield would prevent any serious injury, but still trying to psyche Red X out. "Maybe you oughta come down here."

"And maybe you oughta come up," said Red X, "because otherwise, I'm staying up here until you either blow up the platform or come up and fight."

Cyborg could climb a 20-foot platform, but this one was five times as tall, and Cyborg knew that trying to get up would be a fruitless effort.

"Well, aren't you gonna climb up here?" asked Red X, staring down at Cyborg. "I can stay here all day..."

With an angry yell, Cyborg began running up the side of the platform. After getting up about twenty-five feet, however, gravity took over, and Cyborg quickly fell to the ground, landing hard on his back.

"Now you're makin' me mad!" Cyborg shouted, shaking his fist at Red X. "I'm gonna give you one chance to come down before I blast you down!"

"Isn't that what you were going to do?" asked Red X, who was extremely amused by Cyborg's frustrated efforts to get him to come down. _"If I can't fight who I want, at least I can get some entertainment out of this..."_

But instead of blasting the platform, Cyborg ran to the control console and pressed a few buttons. Then, he dashed back to his spot by the platform and smiled.

"There's more than one way to skin a cat," said Cyborg, as another platform began forming underneath him. In just a few seconds, it shot up into the air, elevating itself to the height of Red X's platform. Cyborg leapt from his own created platform to Red X's, and soon after, Cyborg's platform disappeared, leaving the two warriors alone on the singular tower of rock, a hundred feet above the ground.

"About time you got here," said Red X, standing in a fighting stance in the center of the platform. "You ready to go?"

"You better believe it," replied Cyborg, charging toward Red X and striking at him with a series of punches, aimed at the thief's head and chest. For all that Cyborg possessed in strength, he severely lacked Robin's speed, and Red X was easily able to dodge all of Cyborg's powerful blows. Finally, a frustrated Cyborg swept his leg under both of Red X's, a move that X didn't expect. The thief was knocked off his feet, his head hitting the floor of the platform with a loud smack.

__

"Damn, that hurts!" thought Red X, rolling out of the way as Cyborg's fist plunged downward toward his fallen foe. Red X quickly stood up, pointing his arm at Cyborg's chest.

"I don't think so!" said Cyborg, grabbing Red X's arm and wrenching it behind his back, holding him in a powerful submission grip.

"Damn!" shouted Red X, struggling to break out of the grip of Cyborg's powerful mechanical limb. Knowing that he had no chance to escape, he tried pushing his body forward, attempting to use his momentum to throw Cyborg off of the platform. As he did, Cyborg pulled back harder, twisting X's arm behind him and retaining his leverage.

"You can't toss me... you can try to toss me, but you can't toss me!" shouted Cyborg, as a frustrated and rapidly tiring Red X struggled to pull free.

__

"I'm not gonna lose to him_," _thought Red X, who already knew he was no match for the Titans' leader, Robin. _"If I can't beat him, at least I can say I can beat all the others!"_

Placing his other hand on Cyborg's chest, Red X began preparing to fire another of his exploding projectile Xs. Cyborg, seeing what X was about to do, suddenly released the thief's arm, the sudden momentum forcing Red X forward and nearly causing him to stumble off the other side of the platform.

Cyborg quickly took his opportunity, pointing his arm cannon at the stumbling Red X and charging up a shot. But Red X was quicker, turning around and firing an explosive X straight into Cyborg's chest. The force of the explosion sent Cyborg flying back, right off the edge of the platform and dropping toward the ground. Though he knew the fall wouldn't be too dangerous, Cyborg still let out a scream, and Red X quickly leapt off the platform after him.

Forming a shuriken X in one of his hands, Red X grabbed Cyborg by the arm and shoved the shuriken X into the side of the platform, embedding it in the rock and stopping Red X's fall just thirty feet above the ground. Holding onto Cyborg's arm with one hand and the shuriken with the other, Red X hung off the side of the platform, slowly swinging back and forth.

"You know that if I fell, the program would've turned the ground into rubber, right?" asked Cyborg, looking up at Red X. "But thanks anyway!"

__

"...after I went to all this to save your butt, it turns out your butt didn't need _saving in the first place?" _thought Red X, dropping Cyborg onto the ground before leaping down himself. "At least I got in some of that useless 'teamwork' training in."

Cyborg stood up, brushing himself off and looking at Red X.

"That was a pretty good match," said Cyborg, extending his hand to Red X to shake. Red X took one look at Cyborg's hand, then leapt into the air and swung his leg into the side of Cyborg's head. The blow, unexpected and powerful, sent Cyborg into a daze, knocking him to the ground, groaning in pain. "Unnh... what the heck was that for?"

"I win," said Red X, turning and leaving the training area. _"Complete waste of time..."_

O-O-O

As the battle between Cyborg and Red X ended, Robin and Starfire's date had reached its midpoint. As the two walked out of a nearby movie theater, they were smiling, laughing, and holding hands, both of them having the most fun that they'd had in a long, long while.

"Robin, that movie was very exciting!" she said, her fingers tightly interlaced with Robin's. "But... at the end, it seems that the villain escaped..."

"That's because they're going to make a sequel to that movie, most likely," Robin replied, smiling just as wide as Starfire was. "They can make more money that way..."

"It seems like a cruel trick to me," said Starfire, walking with Robin down the sidewalk. "I mean... they could have easily resolved the plot by having the villain captured, but-"

"Like I said, it's all about making money," said Robin.

"Well... it was still a very enjoyable movie," replied Starfire, a bright smile on her face. "And it was a lot more enjoyable because I saw it with someone I... with someone I..."

"Starfire?" said Robin, stopping and turning to her.

"With someone that I am very good friends with!" said Starfire, a hint of a blush on her smooth, orange face. _"Get it together, Starfire... you can do this... you can tell Robin how you feel... just... just not yet..."_

"It was nice seeing it with you too, Starfire," said Robin, also forming a bit of a blush on his face. He too didn't know just quite what to say to Starfire, and was mostly trying to react to what she said, hoping that he'd figure out something good to say to her later. "So... wanna go out and get something to eat now?"

"You mean... just you and me?" asked Starfire. Robin nodded.

"Sure, I know a couple of nice places... well, I mean, if you want to-"

"It would be wonderful, Robin!" said Starfire, wrapping her arms around him. As soon as she hugged him, she pulled back, knowing that she may have jumped the gun a little bit with the sudden hug. "Um... shall we go?"

Robin nodded, his hand releasing slightly from Starfire's but still touching her fingers as the two walked together down the sidewalk, enjoying the chance that they had to spend time together without anyone bothering them. No villains, no Red X, no Slade... just the two young teenage superheroes, their feelings for one another still left mostly unspoken.

O-O-O

Red X again found himself walking the halls of the tower. Slightly exhausted from his fight with Cyborg, and knowing that he didn't want to have anything to do with Beast Boy at the moment, he considered leaving... then began to wonder what Raven, who he hadn't seen since entering the tower, might be up to.

Thinking she was probably in her room, X found the nearest elevator and pressed a button to go to the tenth floor.

__

"The last time I went in her room, it was to take her magic mirror," thought Red X, tapping his foot on the floor at the elevator took him up to the tenth level of the tower. _"Hope she's not still too mad about that."_

With a bit of a smirk, Red X stepped out of the elevator and walked down the hall to Raven's room, giving the door a light knock.

"Go away," came Raven's voice to the door, a familiar reply to anyone who wished to gain entry. Red X knocked again, and Raven's voice became slightly louder. "If this is Beast Boy, I'm giving you to the count of three before-"

"Close," said Red X, "but thankfully, not him."

The door slid open, and Raven, her hood pulled down from her face, gave Red X an annoyed stare.

"If you want to know where Robin and Starfire are-"

"They're out on a date," said Red X. "I already know."

"...then what do you want?" asked Raven.

"I dunno. Just some conversation, I guess," said Red X, boredom clearly evident in his voice. With a heavy sigh, Raven stepped away from the door.

"I normally don't let people into my room, but since you've been here before, I don't really have anything to hide," said Raven, walking over to her dresser and looking down at the spot where her magic mirror used to be. "Oh, and by the way, don't touch my stuff."

"I won't," said Red X, walking over to the side of Raven's bed and sitting down.

"That includes your butt touching my bed," said Raven, shooting X another angry glare.

"You're as bad as my sister," said Red X, not bothering to get up from Raven's bed. Like Raven, Maddy didn't enjoy people being in her room either, and was especially territorial about her bed, where she was afraid if people touched it in even the slightest, the covers would get messed up and she'd have to make it again.

"If your sister's so bad, why'd you steal that suit?" replied Raven, sitting down next to Red X.

"Touché," he replied. "But there are some good qualities about her... just like there are some good qualities about you. I mean, your purple self would be a whole hell of a lot easier to get into bed with than Starfire."

Raven rolled her eyes, embarrassed that Red X had seen her lust emotion while inside of her head.

"What do you see in Starfire, anyway?" asked Raven, completely aware of the crush X had on Starfire.

"The same thing Robin sees," replied Red X. Raven shook her head.

"No... I don't think it is the same thing," said Raven. "Robin's seen Starfire at her best, at her worst... he's seen her happiness, her anger, her fear, her weakness and her strength. He's devoted himself to protecting her, even while he leads the rest of the team. He's saved her life countless times, and she's saved him just as much. They're almost inseparable..."

"And if Robin wasn't so worried about people hurting her to get to him, I think the two of them would be going out almost every day," said Red X.

"Exactly," Raven replied. "Just like I have to restrain my emotions to protect everyone from the full force of my powers, Robin has to keep his feelings about Starfire bottled up to protect her."

Red X knew exactly how cruel people could be, using one's friends and family to control them... even now, it was being done to him, and he loathed it.

"I never should've let Slade find out who I was," said Red X, turning away from Raven. "He knows, and he's using my family to-"

"It wasn't your fault," said Raven. "Slade is a manipulative sociopath. He knew what he wanted, and-"

"He followed me until he got it," replied Red X, bowing his head. "And now, he's got to pay... he's got to pay for everything he-"

"Why us?" asked Raven. "After we've fought against each other for so long, why did you come to us to help you with Slade? Even we haven't been able to beat him entirely."

"But together... together we might have a chance," replied Red X. "Besides, you've all done a lot of incredible things before. You even stopped the end of the world."

Raven gasped.

__

"How does he know that?" thought Raven, a shocked expression on her face. Trigon's blast had supposedly destroyed everything and frozen all of the Earth's inhabitants in time, so how had Red X been left untouched? "How do you remember...?"

"How could I forget?" asked Red X, as memories of the horrible day when Trigon arose came flooding back to him. "It was the day I took back my belt... all of you had gone off somewhere, doing who knows what, so I snuck in and got the belt. As I came out of the tower, I could see the sky growing dark, and the sun disappearing... it was an eclipse, I think. I swam back to the city as fast as I could, because I wanted to get mom's video camera to take some film, you know? Anyway, I got about halfway home when... when this enormous wall of flame... have you ever seen the movie Independ-"

"No," replied Raven, shuddering at the mention of any science-fiction film.

"Well, anyway, it was like that. A wall of flame came rushing toward me... so I created this protective barrier of Xynothium around my body to block the flames. When the flame subsided, I broke through the barrier... and saw the entire city destroyed."

Red X bowed his head, shaking it slightly as he recalled what happened next. His voice began to break as he spoke.

"I... I ran back home... to see if mom and Maddy were okay... but when I got there... when I got there, they... they..."

A gentle hand rested on Red X's back. He looked up to see Raven, a caring look reflected in her eyes.

"I... I'm sorry," said Raven, now remembering her role in the supposed 'end of the world'. "It was me who-"

"If I'd have gotten there... if I'd have gotten there in there, I could have used my shield on-"

"Don't say that," said Raven, looking into Red X's eyes, both of her hands now on his shoulders. "What happened to Maddy and your mother was not your fault."

Red X sighed and turned slightly away, standing up at the side of the bed.

"If Slade does anything to them... it will be my fault," said Red X, turning to Raven again. "If we can't stop him, I'll have no choice... I'll have to become his apprentice."

"We will stop him," Raven replied, grasping Red X's hand in her own. "I promise... we will stop him."

Meanwhile, Beast Boy, who'd been listening to the entire conversation from outside, poked his head into the room through the door, having formed an idea in his head. As Raven looked at him, Red X turned around as well, staring in bewilderment at the green morphling standing in the doorway.

"Um... X?" said Beast Boy with a bit of trepidation. "I have... something I want to show you."

O-O-O

Robin had taken Starfire to a restaurant on the south side of town, a moderately-sized building with glass windows on all sides. It had a very nice atmosphere, with fragrant candles and a white cloth covering on each table. The food wasn't bad either, and Starfire and Robin both had their fill, all the while talking about whatever was on their minds, drifting away from the chaos of the past few days and having a light, fun conversation, just as two friends... or even two people in love would do.

"Robin, tonight has been... probably the best night that I have had since I arrived on Earth," said Starfire, her hands reaching across the table and resting just in front of Robin. "I mean, I enjoy fighting against criminals with all of you, but... a night like this, where I can have fun with my best friend... someone I care about very much..."

"It's been great for me too, Star," said Robin, placing his hands on the table and right next to Starfire's. "I can't believe we never did this before..."

Of course, usually the Titans had to deal with criminals and monsters in the evening, and rarely got the chance to spend quality time with each other, especially like Robin and Starfire were doing now.

"Robin, when I arrived here... I did not expect to find someone like you so quickly... I thought that perhaps I would be picked on, or even attacked by people on Earth... instead, I met all of you... you accepted me for who I was, you did not judge me just because I was from another planet... and you, Robin... you have been the kindest of all."

Robin didn't have a response right away, even as Starfire's hands gently went over his, the tips of her fingers brushing the top of his hand.

"I know that you do not express your feelings as readily as I do... and sometimes I am a bit more ready in expressing them than I should be. The time when I was angry with you because you said that you were not my girlfriend-"

"Star... I thought that was behind us," said Robin, a smile on his face. "I... I told you that you are... didn't I? And I know exactly what that means."

"Robin, if you are afraid to say something because you worry about people harming me... believe me, I have considered-"

"It's not that, Star," said Robin, his hands pulling slightly away from Starfire's. "I mean... I guess... Star, I know how strong you are, but-"

"But you are afraid that people will still find a way to hurt me," replied Starfire, her hands moving forward again. "If... if I could promise you... if I could promise that no matter what happened to me..."

But it _did _matter... Robin knew exactly how Slade might exploit any potential weakness that he showed... and any abnormal emotion for anyone, as wonderful as it might be, was a weakness... and Robin couldn't let Starfire get hurt because of his weakness.

He'd protected Starfire before... he'd saved her before... but he couldn't trust himself to always be there for her. If he slipped up, if something happened and Starfire was hurt...

"Starfire, I can't-"

"The Red X would certainly-" Starfire began, before placing her hand over her mouth and shaking her head. _"No... I cannot use him to make Robin... if Robin truly does have feelings for me, he must admit them on his own... he must... _he would not protect me like you do, Robin-"

"Starfire, you're strong, you're powerful, you're brave... you don't need to be protected by me," said Robin. "You're stronger and braver than... than even me, Star-"

"Robin... it is not... not just that you protect me... it is that you are..."

She couldn't bring herself to describe how wonderful Robin was to her. Someone like Red X was certainly kind to her, but... she didn't feel safe with him like she did with Robin. He didn't make her happier just by being in the room, he wasn't nearly as brave as Robin was... he was kind to her, but... he wasn't _Robin_.

Starfire leaned closer to Robin at the table, and he too leaned forward, only slightly at first, but as Starfire pulled closer, so did he, until their faces were just inches apart.

"You are the most wonderful person in the world, Robin... that is all I wanted to say."

"Starfire, I..."

Their eyes now closed, their lips drawing closer by the second... Robin and Starfire both leaned in across the table, a second away from what would be their first kiss...

A shatter and loud screams caused both of them to stop with their lips just an inch apart.

"That is so romantic."

The voice drew Robin and Starfire's heads up to the now-shattered front window of the restaurant. Standing in front of the window and staring straight at the two Titans was Slade, his gaze locked on Robin's face.

Robin leapt from the table, extending his bo staff. At the same time, Starfire floated into the air, her eyes and hands glowing bright green.

"You won't get away this time, Slade..." said Robin, his fingers wrapped tightly around the long, metallic staff.

O-O-O

Red X followed Beast Boy to the edge of a long, grassy field, bordering a wide stone path. Following them were Raven and Cyborg, who tagged along when they realized what Beast Boy was going to show X.

"I hope we're getting close," said Red X, watching as the sun slowly began setting in the sky.

"We are," replied Beast Boy, as memories from a friend long gone began sifting through his head. "Don't worry... we're getting really close now."

A small object came into view, shining as a black silhouette against the red sky. As Red X tried to make out the object, Beast Boy began walking slowly, as if entering some sort of hallowed ground.

"Could you go a little faster?" asked Red X.

"You wanna see her, or not?" shouted Beast Boy, Red X having clearly struck a nerve.

__

"Her?" thought Red X, taking a closer look at the silhouette in the sunlight. _"Could that be..."_

The four continued until they reached the end of the field and had to walk the rest of the way along the cold, hard path. The wind began blowing over the ground, and Raven could feel her hair blowing slightly back. She lifted her hood to shield her face from the wind.

Red X could now make out the form in the silhouette. It was a statue of a girl, forever frozen in time... her face beautiful despite the stone it was comprised of. As Red X approached the statue, he could see a golden plaque on its surface, and bent down to read it.

__

"So this is her..." thought Red X, concentrating on the plaque's inscription. _"Terra... a Teen Titan, a true friend..."_

"She was Slade's apprentice too," said Beast Boy, "and look how she ended up."

Red X reached up and stroked his hand across Terra's frozen face, as gently as if he were touching the face of his own sister.

"Why did a good girl like you get mixed up with a monster like him...?" whispered Red X, barely loud enough for the others to hear.

"She was convinced that she couldn't control her powers," said Raven.

"So she got Slade to help her... and in exchange, she became his willing apprentice," replied Cyborg.

"Except that when she tried to escape from him... tried to get away... she couldn't," said Beast Boy, a tear starting to form in his eye. "Because... because she-"

"She was weak," said Red X, turning to face the other Titans. "Weak and afraid... afraid that she-"

"You take that back!" shouted Beast Boy, clenching his fists and getting right up in Red X's face. Red X didn't budge. "She tried! She tried with all her might to do good... and she ended up sacrificing her life for everyone in the city! For us, for you, for your stupid mom and sister... EVERYONE!"

__

"I insulted your girl, you insulted my family," thought Red X, taking a step away from Beast Boy. He turned back toward Terra, reaching up to touch her face again. "Terra... I promise... I promise that I won't end up like you. Where you failed, I will succeed... I'll escape Slade, and I'll do it with my life intact. I won't just escape him... I'll kick his ass. And without giving up my life to do it."

Red X turned back toward the three Titans, looking at Raven, then at Cyborg, then at Beast Boy, who'd calmed only slightly after X had made his promise.

"I won't be like her," said Red X, "so if you're trying to scare me straight-"

Suddenly, two dozen Sladebots seemed to drop out of the sky behind the Teen Titans, crouched and ready for battle.

"Don't you guys know this is sacred ground?" said Red X, the two Xs on his palms lighting up. Raven, Beast Boy and Cyborg quickly turned around, stepping back and striking battle poses as the Sladebots rushed toward them.

O-O-O

Robin swung the bo staff at Slade, who leapt up and struck Robin with a kick in the chest that knocked him onto the table where he and Starfire had just been sitting. With a loud battle cry, Starfire flew forward, tossing several Starbolts at Slade. The Starbolts all connected, but Slade was seemingly undamaged, charging forward into Starfire and throwing his shoulder into her stomach.

"Aaaagh!" groaned Starfire, doubling over as Slade's powerful frame slammed into her. She quickly recovered, her fist slamming into Slade's face and knocking him away. "You will not get away with-"

"I just wanted to check up on you," replied Slade, watching as Robin jumped up from the table and threw several punches and kicks at his face. Slade dodged them all, his body darting and weaving away from the rapid blows. "You're not dead at all..."

With one mighty punch, Slade sent Robin flying back again, his body slamming into Starfire's and sending both of them crashing through a glass table.

"I'd love to stay and chat, but I've got an apprentice who's been quite unruly as of late, and I need to think of a punishment," said Slade, disappearing out the window. As he did, Robin and Starfire slowly crawled up from the floor, brushing shattered pieces of glass from their bodies. Robin leapt to his feet and looked out the window, but Slade was already nowhere to be found.

"SLADE!" shouted Robin, staring to leap out the window before being stopped by Starfire's arms wrapping around his waist. "SLADE! Come back and fight! COWARD! _He knows... he knows we're all alive... I have to warn Sanza..."_

O-O-O

Another long (and eventful chapter). Looks like Slade knows Sanza didn't obey his directions... will revenge be swift and painful, or will Sanza get another chance? And can Sanza, Raven, Beast Boy, and Cyborg protect Terra's statue from a legion of dangerous Sladebots? If you thought this chapter was great, you'll love the next one! Also, noticing the intense reviews this story has been getting over the past few days... a big thanks goes to all my reviewers, who I hope can stick around for just a few chapters more. Closer to the end than the beginning now...


	17. Old Vendetta, New Threat

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Teen Titans. If I did, this would be on TV and not here.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This doesn't take place in the same storyline as my "Forced Base" and "Fractured Heart" stories, so forget those when you're reading this. Also, this takes place after the fourth season, so anything that happens in the show after that isn't applicable to this. Also, about Sanza/Red X: When he's wearing the mask, he's Red X. When he's not, he's Sanza. Simple as that.

O-O-O

The Sladebots clearly had a numerical advantage over Red X, Raven, Cyborg, and Beast Boy, but that fact didn't intimidate the four fighters in the least. As the bots rushed forward, Red X fired a flurry of exploding Xs into the crowd, immediately reducing their numbers and throwing up several large explosions within the ranks.

"Azarath, metreon, zinthos!" shouted Raven, raising up several chunks of rock from the ground and tossing them at the Sladebots who'd avoided Red X's attack. Raven had barely thrown three rocks when several Sladebots rushed up to her and began pummeling her with their fists and feet, throwing the blue-cloaked Titan to the ground before she could raise her shields. The bots were quickly blasted away by Cyborg's plasma beam, freeing Raven to begin another attack.

"How were they able to find us here?" shouted Cyborg, leaping into the air to avoid two Sladebots as they jumped toward him. He fired his cannon downward at the chests of the attacking bots, destroying them both as he leapt behind Terra's statue for cover. "X, you didn't tell 'em-"

"If I wanted to betray you, I'd do it _myself_!" shouted Red X, dodging blows from a group of three Sladebots as he stood in front of Terra's statue to protect it from attack. As he fought the Sladebots, he too realized the implications of their presence... it meant that Slade likely knew that the Teen Titans were still alive. _"We have to beat these things quick... mom and sis could be in serious trouble!"_

Fueled by the desire to protect his mother and sister, Red X slammed his fist through the chest of one of the Sladebots. The other two bots quickly recoiled, only to be smashed to pieces after having been landed on by elephant Beast Boy.

"Only a few more to go," said Beast Boy as he detransformed, looking to see the remaining Sladebots forming a circle around Red X, the Titans, and the Terra statue. _"I can't believe these jerks would attack Terra's statue like this... I won't let them hurt you, Terra..."_

But instead of stepping forward toward the heroes, the Sladebots joined hands in the circle, their gaze fixated on the center. The surrounded Titans and Red X readied themselves to attack.

"...this is strange," observed Raven, watching as the Sladebots began swaying side to side in perfect rhythm.

"Yeah... it's almost like watching an old soda commercial," said Beast Boy, transfixed by the rhythm of the Sladebots as they swayed.

"Well, I'm not gonna wait for them to start singing," said Red X, extending one of his palms and firing an X. The X flew toward one of the Sladebots, but instead of hitting the bot in the face, it bounced back, as if it were made of rubber. The X flew back toward the Titans before exploding in a red burst of light, shrouding the entire center of the circle in smoke. "What the...?"

"Whatever they're doing just bounced that attack right back at us!" shouted Cyborg, coughing as the smoke from Red X's backfired attack slowly sifted away from the group.

"I'll handle this..." said Beast Boy, transforming into a rhinoceros and charging one of the points in the circle where two of the Sladebots were clasping hands. His powerful horn slammed into the junction point, but immediately, all three tons of rhinoceros Beast Boy were thrown back into the center of the circle, his enormous back headed straight for Terra's stone body. He transformed just before slamming into Terra, his head smashing into the chest of the statue. He slumped to the ground, in a daze. "Guess that didn't work either..."

Suddenly, every Sladebot in the circle began to glow, their eyes resonating with a deep shade of red. From each of the Sladebots' eyes came a burning red laser, which zipped straight into the circle and struck one of the Titans. Multiple Sladebots meant multiple lasers hitting each of the Titans, as well as Red X, who was hit in the face, chest, and right leg. The four trapped fighters collapsed to their knees by the Terra statue, moaning in pain.

"This must be... one of Slade's new weapons..." gasped Cyborg as he struggled to stand.

"...you think?" replied Red X, clenching his fists as the Sladebots' lasers burned into his flesh. _"There's got to be a way out of this somehow..."_

The lasers moved slowly up and down, constantly burning away at a new part of the flesh of their four targets. Raven was the first of the four to stand, though she was quickly overcome by pain as the laser seared across her knees, forcing her to the ground again.

Beast Boy was taking the most damage from the lasers, as he stretched out his body as much as he could across the Terra statue to protect it. Being immobile, Terra was completely defenseless from the lasers, which would probably mutilate her stone body if they happened to make contact. He wobbled to his feet, stretching out his arms and screaming as numerous lasers burned his flesh.

"Why the hell are you protecting a statue?" said Red X, looking up at Beast Boy with his eyes narrowed. "She's dead, isn't she?"

"No," replied Raven, "at least not to Beast Boy... he'll protect her even if we can never find a cure for-"

"Enough of this," said Red X, standing up and covering the entire statue in a thick layer of Xynothium, then pulling Beast Boy to the ground and crouching over him to protect him from more laser fire.

"Dude, what did you-"

"Keeping you from killing yourself over a damn statue, that's what," Red X grumbled as a laser traced a painful path across his leg. _"Dammit, we need to end this now!"_

The Xynothium protected Terra's statue, but Red X and the Titans were still dealing with the brunt of the Sladebots' powerful laser assault, and it seemed that no end was in sight. Red X tried to stand again, but the lasers continued pummeling his body, and he was forced into a crouching position like the three Titans.

"The only way... we're going to stop them..." said Cyborg, looking at Raven, Beast Boy, and Red X, "is if we work together... that means you too, X."

"I'm listening," Red X replied, knowing that the sooner the Sladebots were defeated, the sooner he could get back home to protect his family. _"You'd better have a damn good plan, robot man..."_

A plan was quickly set forth. Beast Boy would transform into a rhino again, his thick skin being better equipped to withstand the Sladebots' lasers. Cyborg and Red X would climb on top of him, while Raven would float in front of Beast Boy and raise a dark energy shield around herself and the others.

"All right, y'all," said Cyborg, climbing on rhinoceros Beast Boy's back and sitting in front of Red X, as Raven floated ahead of Beast Boy and formed a protective shield. "Beast Boy, charge!"

The lasers battered Raven's protective shield, which was weaker than normal due to the damage Raven had already sustained. She kept up her shield despite the barrage, as Beast Boy neared a junction between two of the Sladebots.

"Now!" shouted Cyborg, who leapt off of Beast Boy and over the heads of two of the Sladebots, soon followed by Red X. As soon as they were outside the circle, Raven and Beast Boy took the full force of the robots' lasers, and both she and Beast Boy were blown back to the center of the circle, Beast Boy detransformed and Raven's shield completely destroyed. On top of that, the lasers had blasted off the thick layer of Xynothium around Terra's statue, leaving her completely exposed to a full-force assault.

"TERRA!" screamed Beast Boy, his eyes widening in horror as the Sladebots pointed their eye lasers at the statue.

They were just starting to fire when Red X's wrist blades ripped through the chests of two of the Sladebots, instantly deactivating them. The circle now broken, the Sladebots' lasers and shielding were rendered ineffective, leaving the Sladebots themselves defenseless. Cyborg's plasma cannon quickly destroyed nearly all of the Sladebots in the circle, while an energy blast from Raven and a quick sweep of tyrannosaurus Beast Boy's tail handily destroyed the rest.

The battle was finally over... the Titans and Red X were victorious, and Terra's statue was safe. Even Red X breathed a sigh of relief, which turned into a gasp as Cyborg slapped him hard on the back.

"Way to go, my man!" shouted Cyborg, a congratulatory tone in his voice. "See, I told you teamwork was fun!"

"That was the worst battle of my entire life," replied Red X, "and I had absolutely no fun at all."

"...Rae, did you give him cranky lessons or something?" asked Beast Boy, gently elbowing Raven in the side. With a sigh, Raven turned away from Beast Boy and towards Red X, her arms at her sides.

"I guess it's time to head back to the tower," said Raven, but Red X shook his head, turning away from the Titans and back across the grassy field.

"Those Sladebots only attacked because they knew I didn't do my job," said Red X, a slight bit of worry in his voice. "I'm getting back home... I need to check on my family."

As Red X walked away, the T-Coms on the waists of all three Titans rang. As they opened up the tiny communicator units, Robin's face appeared on the screen, a solemn tone in his voice.

"Slade attacked Starfire at a restaurant," said Robin. "We're already back at the tower... if Red X is still with you, tell him we did everything we could to-"

"On second thought," said Red X angrily, "I think I _will_ come back to the tower... I need to have a word with someone..."

Robin's announcement that Slade had seen him and Starfire both alive sent chills through Red X's spine... how could Robin have been so careless to show his face in public, even though he knew it might put two innocent lives in jeopardy? And not to stop a villain, but to go out on a date? With _Starfire_?

"X, Robin tried the best he could to-"

But Red X wasn't about to listen to Cyborg's apology. He walked quickly off the field, followed by Raven and Cyborg, who both knew that Red X wasn't going to be happy when he got back to the tower.

Beast Boy lingered by Terra's statue, taking one last look at her eternally-petrified face before turning and following Red X, Raven, and Cyborg out of the field and back toward the city.

O-O-O

Red X stormed through the front door of Titans Tower about ten minutes later, followed by Raven, Cyborg, and Beast Boy. Starfire, who was seated on the couch, watched with trepidation as Red X walked up to Robin and pointed his palm in the Boy Wonder's face.

"Give me one good reason not to blow you away," said Red X, his eyes staring coldly into Robin's. "Well?"

"We had no way of knowing that Slade would find us at that restaurant!" Robin replied.

"Please, do not-" began Starfire before Red X quickly turned to her and narrowed his eyes.

"This doesn't concern you!" shouted Red X, lowering his hand and turning back to Robin. "Your outing put my entire family in jeopardy! They could be dead right now, and it would be _your _fault!"

"Robin couldn't have known Slade would find him," said Raven, "and you need to calm down."

"Slade can find anyone," replied Red X, clenching his fists in rage. "He found me... he found you... he put cameras in every room of my home!"

"Wait a minute," said Robin, an idea quickly forming in his head. "Slade put cameras in your house? If he did, then we can tap into that feed."

Robin quickly walked out of the room, and Red X began to follow him, questioning him every step of the way.

"What in the hell are you talking about?" asked Red X, following Robin all the way across the room until he reached a hallway that led to another part of the tower.

"We have some equipment that might be useful," replied Robin. "Stay here, I'll be right back."

A few minutes later, Robin returned with a pair of devices in his hand. One of them was a small, rectangular device with a monitor and several white buttons, while the other appeared to be some sort of small, metallic disc about the size of a sand dollar. By now, a slightly calmer Red X was sitting on the couch next to Starfire, while Raven, Beast Boy, and Cyborg positioned themselves in another couch, adjacent to the one where Red X and Starfire were sitting. Robin walked over to Red X and placed one of the devices in each of Red X's hands.

"What are these?" asked Red X, holding them delicately in his hands.

"The one in your left hand," said Robin, pointing to the rectangular device, "is an electronic signal detector. With it, you'll be able to tell exactly in the house where Slade put the main signal control for the video cameras."

"How will that help?" asked Red X. "Slade will know if I rip them out of the wall."

"The second device is a satellite signal router," said Robin. "Once you find the source of the signal, place this disc on the wall or wherever the signal is at. That way, even though Slade will still be able to watch what goes on in your house, so will we. So if Slade tries to hurt your family... we'll know."

Red X sighed, standing up from the couch and staring at the signal detector and router.

__

"I don't want anyone _to be able to see into my house..." _thought Red X. _"But if it keeps Maddy and mom safe..."_

"You know, if they're both dead already, there won't be any need for any of this," said Red X, looking at both Robin and Starfire. "If the two of you had stayed in the Tower like I asked..."

"You went out too, you know," said Raven, her arms across her chest. "And you knew the three of us were going as well."

Red X bowed his head, knowing that Raven was right. The Sladebots and Slade had seen all five Titans still alive... a direct defiance of Slade's order. X walked up to the front door of the tower and turned back toward the Titans.

"You'd all better hope my family is all right," said Red X, swinging open the front door of the tower and slowly backing out, with the two devices in hand.

__

"I hope that they are all right too..." thought Starfire, as Red X disappeared behind the door. She looked over at Robin, a worried frown on her face. "If something has happened to them..."

"It wouldn't be your fault, Star," replied Robin. "I'm the one who suggested the date... and besides, something tells me that Sanza's family is all right... if Sanza loses his family, Slade loses his apprentice."

"Just like how you were willing to kill yourself to save us from the probes," said Cyborg, recalling the time Slade had wanted to make Robin his apprentice, using blackmail to force Robin into doing his bidding.

__

"But I don't think Sanza would kill himself if Slade killed his family..." thought Robin, knowing Sanza's intensely protective nature. _"I think Sanza would take out Slade first..."_

O-O-O

Red X rushed home as quickly as he could, unsure of what he'd find when he arrived. Would Slade have taken his family, or would they simply be killed?

X ran up the fire escape and hastily leapt through his window, removing his costume and placing it under the bed. Through the door of his room, he could hear no signs of activity outside in the hall... but that was perfectly normal, especially if both Maddy and his mother were downstairs watching television.

Placing the two devices Robin had given him on his desk, Sanza slowly walked over to his door and turned the knob, a knot growing in his stomach as his worry for his mother and sister began to grow.

__

"Remember our deal, Slade..." thought Sanza, stepping out into the darkened hallway. _"If you touch my family, I'll destroy you..."_

As Sanza walked out into the hall, he could still hear nothing coming from any part of the house... not a voice, not a whisper, not even a thump or a hint of music. He walked up to Maddy's bedroom door and pressed his ear to it, hoping to hear a sign of activity from inside.

__

"Nothing..." thought Sanza, starting to become worried. _"Either she's downstairs watching TV with mom, or..."_

Sanza reached down to the doorknob and turned it slowly, opening the door and stepping into his sister's room, its lights turned off. Her walls, painted with a beautiful mural of the Mexico City skyline, sparkled as light from the moon outside reflected off specks of glitter pasted on the wall to resemble stars.

"Maddy?" whispered Sanza, glancing around to his sister's closet, then to her bed, and finally to a stack of toys she'd placed by the wall. "Maddy, are you-"

A set of arms looped around Sanza's back, following by a set of small legs, covered to the knee by a pink nightgown.

"I heard you outside, Sanza," shouted Maddy, "so I got behind the door so I could catch you sneaking into my room! And you did and now you're in big trouble!"

A wave of relief swept through Sanza, who struggled to stumble over to Maddy's bed with his eleven-year-old sister tightly holding onto his back. Finally, he managed to make his way to the bed, where he threw his little sister over his head, gently allowing her to land on her back on the top of her pink sheets.

"Don't sneak up on me like that!" shouted Sanza, walking over to the light switch by the door and turning it on. "Where's mom?"

"Downstairs," said Maddy, sitting up at the foot of her bed and straightening out her hair, which had been ruffled during her attack on Sanza. "What are you doing in my room?"

"Checking up on you," replied Sanza, walking over to Maddy's bed and sitting down next to her. "Seeing as how I haven't seen you in like... forever."

"That's your fault," said Maddy, turning away from him and trying to feign anger. "You've been out of the house doing who knows what, even though you're still supposed to be grounded. You're lucky I haven't told mom!"

"Why haven't you?" asked Sanza, poking his fingers into Maddy's side.

"Stop that!" Maddy squealed, smacking Sanza's hand away. "Or I will tell her you've been sneaking out!"

Sanza chuckled, standing up and staring at Maddy's open doorway.

"...so why haven't you told her yet?" asked Sanza, looking back at Maddy.

"I dunno," she replied, shrugging her shoulders. "Maybe so I can use it against you later on... or maybe because it would take like a whole minute to get up and tell her, and I'd rather stay in here and talk to my friends on the phone or listen to my music."

Sanza began walking toward Maddy's door, prompting her to hop up from the bed and grab him by the waist.

"Where are you going?" asked Maddy, gently trying to pull him back toward her bed. "You came in here, don't you wanna talk to me?"

__

"Maybe I should talk to Maddy a bit more..." thought Sanza, knowing that Slade might come and take her away from him at any moment. He'd certainly been neglecting his little sister over the past few days, and every second with her was a precious commodity indeed. But instead of letting her pull him back, he continued to walk forward toward the exit of her room, even as Maddy tried to tug him in the opposite direction. Looking at Maddy made Sanza feel guilty... guilty that he'd endangered her by associating with Slade, guilty that he almost let her die at the hands of Plasmus... guilty that he hadn't been a better big brother.

"Fine, don't stay," said Maddy, releasing her arms from Sanza and sitting back down on her bed. Though her voice was mostly angry, it also contained a hint of sadness... sadness that Sanza immediately detected. He turned around and saw Maddy bowing her head, a dejected look in her eye... she'd been through a lot over the past few days, and while she tried to handle it the best she could, at times it felt as if her beloved big brother was abandoning her.

Sanza turned around and walked over to Maddy, who slowly raised up her head.

"Since you want me to stay so badly, I will," said Sanza, his hands reaching toward his sister's sides, "but being in here has exposed me to tickle cooties, and you know what happens when I get tickle cooties... I turn into the Tickle Monster!"

Sanza lunged at Maddy and began furiously tickling her ribs, causing her to let out a loud squeal.

"Sanza, I'm not a little kid anymore..." said Maddy, struggling to speak through rampant giggles, "stop it right now! Stop!"

Maddy flopped down onto the bed, convulsing in wild laughter as Sanza's fingers traced up and down her sides, from her ribs to her armpits and back again.

"That's... hoo hee... not... hee... not fair!" screamed Maddy, almost in tears from laughing so hard. As Sanza tickled her, he found himself laughing too, recalling all the times he and Maddy used to play together when they were little, before Sanza got swept up into the crazy world of the American teenager and he found himself too old to play childish games with his younger sister.

"Well, until you let me out of your room I have to entertain myself somehow, don't I?" asked Sanza, his fingers digging into Maddy's sides and drawing giggle after giggle out of his sister.

"I hate you...hoo hoo... Sanza!" shouted Maddy, her near-insane laughter filling the entire room. "You... heee... you're so stupid! _It's great to see you again, big brother..._"

O-O-O

Later that night, as Sanza lay awake in his bed, he continued to worry... he'd found the source of the video feed and had placed the router disc... the Titans could see everything going on in the house, and Sanza's family should be safe... but Sanza couldn't be entirely sure.

__

"Just because you can see if Slade's here doesn't mean you'll be able to stop him..." thought Sanza, his chest rising up and down as fear gripped his body. _"Only I can truly protect my _familia... _and they can only be safe once Slade is gone for good."_

O-O-O

The next day, Sanza almost didn't go to school... he certainly didn't want to, knowing that every minute at school meant another minute that his mother and sister would be vulnerable to Slade's attack. The entire day, he was unable to concentrate in class, his mind continually drifting to the possibility that Slade might take revenge for Sanza's failure to complete the mission of killing the Titans.

As soon as Sanza got out of school, he made his way to Titans Tower, having worn his costume under his school clothes, with his Red X mask in his backpack. If anything happened at home, he wanted to be ready... at the first sign of trouble, a note coming to one of Sanza's classes to refer him to the office, or even worse, a police officer approaching Sanza at school, he would become Red X and confront Slade at the refinery.

But that sign of trouble never came... and Slade didn't even try to contact Sanza that day. So when Sanza ran to the Tower, every indication was that his family was still safe... but he could only make sure once he'd seen the monitors at the Tower for himself.

Sanza ran all the way to the bay across from the Tower, checking to make sure no one was around before he removed his school clothes, put on his Red X mask, and made the long swim to the island where the tower was located, not caring that his backpack was getting soaked as he dragged it behind him in the water.

He walked up onto the island and walked into the Tower through the front door, setting his soaked backpack down by the entrance and stepping into the main room. Unlike the previous day, Red X could see far more activity taking place inside. Robin and Starfire were sitting together at the kitchen table, while Raven was a few seats away from them, sipping herbal tea, her head buried in a thick book.

__

"I thought they were supposed to be watching my house?" thought Red X, just as Beast Boy ran up behind him and tapped him on the shoulder.

"How's it goin'?" asked Beast Boy, a friendly smile on his face. "You're here a bit earlier than usual..."

"If you're looking for Cyborg, he's a few rooms down the hall," said Robin from the kitchen.

"What about my family?" asked Red X, walking past Beast Boy and toward the kitchen where Robin was sitting, annoyed that the Titans had seemingly forgotten his number one concern. "Are they-"

"Cyborg's monitoring them right now," said Robin, pointing toward the hallway to the right of the main room. "Three doors to your left."

With a sigh of relief unheard by any of the Titans, Red X walked down the hallway Robin had indicated, quickly finding the third door to the left and stepping inside. The room was small and dark, with a large television monitor taking up the room's entire back wall. Seated at the monitor was Cyborg, his eyes staring intently at the screen, on which sixteen different live video feeds of various parts of the Salazars' apartment were displayed.

"I guess Robin told you I was in here," said Cyborg, his eyes unmoving from the screen. Red X stared at the screen as well, looking for his mother on one of the feeds... finally, he could see her, walking around in the kitchen apparently looking for something to eat. "Your sister stepped out a few minutes ago."

"I know," Red X replied, remembering that Maddy had told him and his mother at breakfast that she was visiting the mall with a few of her friends. He'd almost spoken up to discourage Maddy from going, but knew that telling her she was in danger might compromise his identity as Red X, and furthermore, with her friends she should be safe... at least a little bit safer, anyway.

The door to the room opened, and through it stepped Starfire, a smile on her face. Red X turned to her, wondering what she had to say.

"It is good to see you back here..." said Starfire, "and perhaps if we can get a bit more training done, we will be ready to battle Slade as soon as tomorrow..."

Red X nodded.

"After all that bastard has done to them... threatened them, sent his henchmen to attack them... I can't wait to put him away once and for all," said Red X, turning back to watch the screen.

"And... and after Slade is defeated?" asked Starfire.

"Like I said, this alliance extends only until Slade is gone," replied Red X. "I've got no interest in being a Teen Titan."

"You do not have to be," said Starfire. "Besides... after all that you have done before, Robin would probably not allow you to stay... even if you were to become an honorary Titan like Aqualad or-"

"I don't _want _to stay here," said Red X. "I have a family. I live with them. And besides, I don't even want to be a Titan. I'm a thief, and-"

"You... you promised that you would consider becoming our friend," said Starfire, reaching out to place her hand on Red X's shoulder.

"Star, leave him alone..." said Cyborg. "He's been through a lot lately, just like we have."

"I don't need you to talk for me," said Red X, turning to Starfire. "I said I'd consider being your friend. I didn't say I'd stop stealing."

"The Titans are sworn to protect the city from crime..." said Starfire, pulling her hand away from Red X and placing it to her chest. "If you continue to steal, then we cannot... cannot be your friend..."

X could tell that Starfire had been reluctant to say those words... she truly did want to be Red X's friend, but she knew that her duty to the city came first.

__

"Does he not understand that his life of crime is dangerous?" thought Starfire. _"That it is hurting people? Perhaps after we defeat Slade... perhaps I can convince X not to steal anymore..."_

Red X turned back to look at the screen. His mother was now seated at the kitchen table, eating out of a bag of potato chips.

"Did you know you've got the most boring family in the world?" asked Cyborg, placing his elbows on the monitor's control console and heaving out a sigh. "No offense, but-"

"None taken..." said Red X, "especially since you're probably right anyway."

Starfire started to leave the room, having already said to Red X everything she felt she needed to say. But as the door opened, Robin rushed in, seemingly with an urgent message. Starfire stopped and turned to face him, listening intently to what the Titans' leader had to say.

"Titans, trouble!" shouted Robin, as Beast Boy and Raven stood in the doorway behind him. "A store's being robbed in the city!"

"Damn," said Cyborg, standing up from his seat at the monitors and walking over to Robin. "X, can you-"

"Already got it," said Red X, sitting down at the monitors and watching the screens that were transmitting a live video feed of his family. While Robin was wary to trust Red X in the tower alone, he also knew that if Red X tried anything, he wouldn't be able to watch the screens, thus putting his family in danger. X would be staying put. "You guys have fun."

"Who is it this time?" asked Cyborg.

"Mumbo Jumbo," Robin replied. Immediately, Red X's eyes went wide, and he turned his chair around to face the other Titans.

"...I'm coming too," said Red X, standing up from the chair. Six months ago, it had been Mumbo who had attacked Maddy and Sanza at the magic shop... and X had been waiting for his chance at revenge.

"But... what about-"

"This won't take very long," said Red X, interrupting Starfire before she could remind him about his family.

"Maybe I should stay and watch the monitors while you guys are gone," said Cyborg.

"No, we all need to come," said Robin, knowing how tricky of a villain Mumbo could be. "It took all of us to stop him last time..."

Red X, his mind completely focused on revenge, didn't even try to encourage one of the Titans to stay behind and watch the monitors. He walked past Raven and Beast Boy, dashing down the hall toward the exit of the tower. When he reached the main room, he turned to the other Titans, who were just starting to leave the monitoring room and follow X down the hall.

"What are you waiting for?" shouted Red X, not wanting to wait even a second to get his hands on the malicious blue magician. "Let's go!"

O-O-O

Mumbo Jumbo loved to extend his act as long as possible, and even though robbing a hardware store would usually take less than a couple of minutes, Mumbo couldn't resist putting on a show for his captive audience of store workers and customers, tied up in blue ribbon on the floor below.

"It's really been wonderful robbing you all," said Mumbo, holding up a large sack filled with the money and valuables of everyone in the store. He thumbed through the cash register, taking out large stacks of bills and placing them in the sack, with a showboating flourish all his own. "Thanks for coming out to see my act!"

"You won't get away with this!" shouted a male worker on the floor. "The Teen Titans will-"

"Not be a part of the show!" said Mumbo, knowing that he'd have to wrap up quickly if he wanted to avoid being foiled by the Teen Titans again. "They're a bunch of party poopers, and they know all of my secrets anyway. But you fine people can watch as I leave with all your wonderful stuff!"

"Not today, or any day," said Robin, standing with the other Titans in front of the entrance to the store. With a loud, angry cry, Mumbo stumbled backward, enraged that the Titans had arrived before he could make his escape. As he did, he saw someone else with the Titans... someone he didn't usually see... and the newcomer was staring straight into his eyes, an angry expression on his face.

"Is that a new assistant, or am I just seeing things?" asked Mumbo, rubbing his hand over his chin as he surveyed the newcomer. "I don't think you've seen my act before, so-"

"Shut up!" shouted Red X, running toward Mumbo with his palm extended. "When I'm through with you, you'll wish you'd never taken up magic!"

Before Mumbo could raise his wand, he was hit by a barrage of exploding Xs that sent him flying backward, over the checkout counter and into a shelf filled with hammers. Mumbo crashed through the shelf, barely able to keep his wand in his hand as he was buried in the debris of the hammer display.

"If I didn't know better," said one of the tied-up customers on the floor to one of his fellow hostages, "I'd say that's that thief Red X..."

"What's he doing fighting with the Titans?" asked the other hostage, watching as Red X leapt over the counter and dashed toward the fallen magician.

"X, look out!" shouted Beast Boy, watching as Mumbo slowly raised his wand.

"Abra-kaboom!" shouted Mumbo, his wand blasting Red X in the chest with a bolt of lightning. The lightning slammed into Red X and exploded, tossing X back into the counter and giving Mumbo a brief reprieve from any further attacks. He stood up and saw the five Teen Titans rushing toward him, also preparing to strike. "Freeze!"

A wisp of light blue air shot from the tip of Mumbo's wand, sifting over the Titans and instantly hardening into a sparkling, cold block of ice. The block froze over the counter and the space immediately behind it, freeing all five Titans in place, including Starfire and Raven in mid-air as well as Robin in mid-leap.

__

"You won't get rid of me like you did last time..." thought Red X, standing up with his hand clutched to his chest. "Didn't you forget someone?"

"Hmm... I thought for sure that lightning would get you, but I guess you're a bit tougher than I thought," said Mumbo, removing the hat from his head and holding it out. "That's okay, I've got a special place for-"

"You can shove that hat up your ass," said Red X, kicking his leg up into the air and straight into the side of the hat. The top hat was knocked high into the air, and Red X pointed his hand at it, firing three shuriken Xs that cut through the hat, slashing it to pieces.

Mumbo watched in dismay as the remnants of his shredded hat floated to the floor below, his hand tightly clenched around his wand.

"You're gonna pay for that, kid!" shouted Mumbo, angrily clenching his teeth.

"That's my line," replied Red X, unintimidated as his stared into Mumbo's blue, bearded face.

O-O-O

After her mid-afternoon snack, Maria Salazar put the bag of potato chips on top of her refrigerator, smiling as she began walking toward her living room to watch an afternoon of TV.

__

"Maddy's at the mall, Sanza's probably with his friends... against what I told him, but he's probably safe... it's nice to get a bit of time to myself."

As Maria walked toward the living room, she didn't see or hear the figure towering behind her... until a chloroform-soaked rag was clamped over her nose and mouth, held there by a cold, powerful hand. She screamed into the cloth as she struggled to get a breath, only succeeding in inhaling an enormous amount of the powerful sedative.

"Breath deeply, Mrs. Salazar..." said Slade, using one hand to hold the chloroform to Maria's face while keeping his other arm wrapped around the woman's chest, holding her arms in place and rendering her struggles useless.

__

"Who are you?" thought Maria, struggling wildly against Slade's grasp while screaming through the cloth and Slade's hand. _"What could you possibly want?"_

The last thought Maria had as she slipped into unconsciousness was that this was most likely the same person who'd sent those men to attack her and Maddy on Sunday... and now he was coming to finish the job.

Slade picked up the unconscious woman, flinging her body over his shoulder as he carried her out of the house. Her long, black hair hung limply past Slade's waist, flopping up and down as Slade took her out the door.

__

"One down, one to go..." thought Slade. _"I told you, Sanza... but you just didn't listen."_

O-O-O

Mumbo pointed his wand at Red X and fired another lightning blast, only to have a large, metallic X rise up in front of the blast, completely blocking it. The X disappeared, only to be replaced by another X, flying past Mumbo's shoulder and grazing across his ear, making a small cut.

"Damn, I missed," said Red X, walking toward Mumbo with a stone-cold gaze and an unusual amount of hatred in his voice. "A couple more inches and it would have taken out your eye."

"Kid, you haven't even seen my best trick!" shouted Mumbo, pointing his wand at Red X and wrapping him up in the same blue ribbon with which he'd tied up the employees and customers. A smile crossed Mumbo's face as he saw Red X seemingly immobilized by the ribbon.

But Red X snapped the ribbon in just two seconds, continuing his walk toward Mumbo, backing the magician all his way to the far wall of the store, and a display of power drills. Behind Red X, the five Teen Titans burst free from their icy prison, leaping over the counter and running up to see if Red X was all right.

"What's next, Mumbo?" asked Red X, stopping about ten feet from the magician and placing his hands on his hips. "Are you gonna saw me in half?"

"That's a great idea!" shouted Mumbo, pointing his wand at Red X. "Abra ka-"

A Starbolt slammed into Mumbo's hand, stopping him in mid-spell and forcing his attention behind Red X, to where the Teen Titans were now standing.

"You leave him alone! Your fight is with all of us!" Starfire shouted. Red X quickly turned around, shaking his fist at the Tamaranian girl.

"His fight is with ME!" shouted Red X, his eyes narrowed in rage.

"Not anymore," said Mumbo, pointing his wand at Red X. Suddenly, X found himself trapped in a giant, purple box, with dozens of swords poised outside ready to stab him to death. As Robin and Starfire ran up to the box, desperately trying to open it and free Red X, Raven, Beast Boy, and Cyborg charged Mumbo.

"Azarath, metreon, zinthos!" shouted Raven, using her powers to take control of the power drills behind Mumbo. With a wave of his hand, Mumbo shot out a burst of energy from his wand, shattering the drills to pieces.

"Hey, Dumbo!" shouted Cyborg, charging Mumbo with his fist extended. "Look over here!"

"I don't usually take requests for tricks, but in your case, I'll make an exception!" shouted Mumbo, pointing his wand at Cyborg's arm. Immediately, the arm came loose, falling to the floor and making a loud 'clang' as it hit the tile.

"HEY!" shouted Cyborg, bending over to collect his arm as a gazelle-transformed Beast Boy leapt over him. Mumbo waved his wand again, causing the broken drill parts on the form to reform into a giant drill, which began chasing Beast Boy around the store.

"Don't worry, we'll get you out!" shouted Robin, slamming his fists into the purple box that Red X was trapped in.

"Yes!" said Starfire, blasting the box with Starbolts and eye lasers. "We shall help-"

The swords stabbed into the box, and Starfire let out a loud scream. Even Robin gasped as the swords went in.

"NO!" shouted Robin, who began rapidly pulling swords from the box. _"Dammit, there's no way-"_

A red substance began seeping from the box, and Starfire, thinking that it was blood, wrapped her arms around Robin's waist, struggling to hold back tears. Robin turned around, placing his hands on Starfire's back, trying to comfort her.

"It's... it's okay, Star... he can't... he can't be-"

An explosion of Xynothium burst the box apart, covering Robin, Starfire, and Mumbo Jumbo in the sticky red goo, and throwing swords and shards of wood all over the store.

"How did you do that?" shouted Mumbo, wiping goo from his eyes to see Red X staring at him from the shattered remains of the box. Red X said nothing. Mumbo lifted his wand, pointing it straight at Red X's head. "Alaka-"

"Shut the hell up," shouted Red X, leaping forward and striking Mumbo in the face with a kick that knocked him back through an 'Employees Only' door. Red X continued to stalk Mumbo through the door, slamming it shut and locking it behind him. _"Just you and me now..."_

O-O-O

A group of sixth-graders, walking home from the mall... three girls, two boys... Maddy Salazar was among them, laughing and joking with the group, unaware what had happened to her mother at home.

"That cop was totally looking at you, Maddy..." said one of the girls, causing Maddy to groan. "He thought you were gonna steal those earrings..."

"Sanza says cops follow him all the time because he's Mexican," said Maddy, "but I just think it's because he's a bad boy!"

"Your brother's cool," said one of the boys in the group, slightly tall for his age. "I heard he beat up five guys at the same time!"

The group of five stepped onto a sidewalk and began walking past a row of shops, unaware that a black, windowless van had begun trailing closely behind them on the adjacent street.

"More like he got beat up by five guys," said Maddy, "and I don't like thinking about him fighting anyway... so let's talk about something else."

"Like this awesome video game I bought?" said the other boy, holding up a copy of 'Grand Theft Auto: Jump City'. "In this one, if you get six stars, the Teen Titans come after you!"

"They're not the _real _Teen Titans," said Maddy. "The real Titans would stop your character for sure."

"Whatever," said the boy, holding his game as if it were the One Ring. "I can't wait to get home and shoot Robin in the face with a rocket launcher!"

"You take that back!" said one of the girls. "Robin's so dreamy..."

By now, the van had pulled up alongside the five kids, and the group began to notice as it drove along the street slowly, at their exact pace.

"Okay, what the heck," said the boy who'd been holding the game, placing it in his store bag. The five kids began walking faster, and the van accelerated slightly to keep up.

"Think it's a kidnapper?" asked one of the girls nervously, taking the hand of the taller boy. "Maddy, Stephi, get back..."

Suddenly, the door of the van opened, and three Sladebots rushed out, leaping onto the sidewalk. Two of them grabbed Maddy, while the third fired a blast from his energy pistol at Maddy's four friends, blasting them back into the front door of a nearby building.

"HELP!" screamed Maddy, as the two Sladebots dragged her, kicking and screaming, into the van.

"Maddy!" shouted one of the boys, getting up and rushing toward her, receiving a backhand across the face by the third Sladebot, knocking him to the ground. As soon as Maddy was pulled into the van, it sped off down the street, leaving her four dazed and horrified friends on the sidewalk.

O-O-O

Inside the 'Employees Only' room of the hardware store, Mumbo tried to scramble to his feet, holding his wand out at Red X with one arm while using the other to keep his balance on the floor.

Red X snatched the wand from Mumbo's hand, snapping it over his knee and looking down at the now incapacitated blue criminal, whose eyes were rapidly widening in horror.

"You remember me, Mumbo?" asked Red X, who continued to walk toward Mumbo as the magician tried to get up. The room was small, however, and Mumbo quickly found that he had nowhere to scoot. X had backed him against the wall of the office. A kitten calendar hung above his head, serving as a morbid contrast to the angry thief that now had him trapped.

"Kid... you know I'm not good at picking faces out of a crowd..."

Red X reached down to his ankle and pulled out a glistening switchblade, its tip flicking out and reflecting the dim light from the small, hanging lamp above.

"Remember me now?" shouted Red X, holding the blade to Mumbo's face. Beads of sweat began running down the terrified villain's forehead.

"Really, I don't-"

Red X reached up and pulled off his mask, flinging it to the floor. Mumbo was now staring into a pair of angry, hazel eyes... a pair of eyes he thought he'd never see again.

"...you!" shouted Mumbo, his trembling finger pointing up into Sanza's face. "The... the kid from the magic store!"

"I distinctly remember you planning to turn my sister into a mouse and feed her to a snake," said Sanza, gripping the switchblade tightly in his hand. "Do you remember that, Mumbo? Do you remember the people you hurt? Or is it just a game to you?"

"K-kid... you've gotta-"

"AND DON'T CALL ME KID!" shouted Sanza, stabbing the knife down into Mumbo's ankle. A howl of pain echoed through the entire room as Sanza pulled out the knife, covered in red blood. "Funny, I thought it would be blue..."

"Please... I didn't mean to hurt your sister!" shouted Mumbo, pleading with Sanza for his life.

"Shut up," said Sanza, his face red with rage as blood dripped from the tip of his blade.

Tears were now beginning to fall down the side of Mumbo's face... whoever Sanza was, he certainly wasn't like any of the Titans... he was vicious, he was angry, he was out for revenge... and there was seemingly no end to his wrath... no chance for mercy.

"The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men," said Sanza, raising the knife above Mumbo's chest. "Blessed is he who, in the name of charity and good will, shepherds the weak through the darkness, for he his truly his brother's keeper and the finder of lost children."

Sanza's fingers tightened their grip around the blade, and Sanza, now fully consumed with rage and unable to see the terrified expression on Mumbo's face, began stabbing the knife down at the magician's chest.

"And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who attempt to poison and destroy my brothers! And you will know my name is the Lord, when I lay my vengeance upon-"

"SANZA, STOP!"

Robin's hand grabbed Sanza's wrist, the knife just inches from Mumbo's chest. Sanza whipped his head around, his anger-filled eyes staring straight into Robin's.

"Mumbo's caught... it's over... let it go..."

"He tried to kill my sister..." said Sanza, trying to pull his hand free from Robin's grip. "He deserves to-"

"He deserves to go to jail," said Raven, using her powers to heal the wound in Mumbo's leg. "The Teen Titans don't kill."

"I'm not a Teen Titan!" said Sanza, ripping his hand from Robin's grasp. Mumbo stood up, trembling in fear.

"Get him away from me!" shouted Mumbo, his finger pointed in Sanza's face. As Sanza tried to step forward, Cyborg stepped inbetween Sanza and Mumbo, stretching out his arms and separating the two.

"That's enough, Sanza," snapped Robin. "Put down the knife."

With anger still evident on his face, Sanza slowly flicked the blade of his knife back into the handle. Then, he tucked the blade underneath the pant leg of his suit, and picked up his mask from the floor.

"If you EVER touch my family again..." said Sanza, putting his mask back on while looking Mumbo straight in the eye, "I'll finish the job."

"Too late," said Raven, picking Mumbo up from the floor. "He already passed out."

"Dude..." gasped Beast Boy, staggering into the room while trying to catch his breath. "Did you guys get him yet? I don't think I can take another chase like that..."

O-O-O

Inside the black van, Maddy sat scared against the wall, her arms tied tightly behind her back with thick rope. Her ankles were also tied, but with three Sladebots in the van with her, she wouldn't have even tried to escape even if she could.

"What... what are you guys gonna do to me?" asked Maddy, her voice trembling.

"Shut up," said one of the Sladebots, angrily staring into Maddy's face.

"What are you going to do to me?" Maddy shouted. "I wanna go home!"

Maddy looked around at the Sladebots, her lip beginning to quiver. She was both angry and scared, and still had no idea what was going to happen to her... but whatever it is, it wasn't going to be good...

"The Teen Titans are gonna find me... no, my brother is gonna find me, and he's going to kick all of your butts!"

One of the Sladebots walked over to Maddy, a piece of duct tape in his hand.

"YOU ALL BETTER LET ME GO RIGHT NOW!" shouted Maddy, before the tape was pressed over her lips. Her angry threats became muffled shouts, and she continued to yell, even though the tape rendered all of her words unintelligible. _"Sanza, wherever you are... I know you can save me... no matter what... at least I hope you can..."_

O-O-O

As Red X and the Teen Titans walked up to the front door of the Tower, X couldn't keep his anger from resurfacing. He'd had Mumbo Jumbo, the villain who'd threatened both him and his sister at his mercy, and the Titans had completely ruined it... he stopped in front of the door and turned around, his hands clenched tightly into fists.

"Why didn't you let me... why didn't you let me finish him off?" Red X shouted.

Robin could understand X's anger... but he also knew that Red X had clearly used an excessive amount of force in dealing with Mumbo Jumbo.

"Mumbo's a dangerous criminal, but... that doesn't mean you can kill him!" shouted Robin. "That would be stooping to his level... it'd be even lower than his level!"

"You didn't see her... you didn't see my sister's eyes... she was terrified, crying... she was completely helpless... I just wanted Mumbo to know what it was like to be completely helpless, just like his victims..." said Red X, his fists trembling. "And I did it... I made him afraid... afraid of me, just like my sister was of-"

"If you take joy in that, you are as bad as him!" shouted Starfire, her eyes glowing bright green. She walked over to Red X, removed his mask, and slapped him hard across the face. "Listen to yourself! What would your sister think if she saw you that way?"

Sanza's hand lifted to his face, touching the spot on his cheek where Starfire had slapped him.

__

"She's right..." thought Sanza, his angry expression softening slightly. _"I... I'm no better than Mumbo... I took joy in seeing him hurt and scared... and that's a sin... a terrible, terrible sin..."_

"Starfire..." said Raven, slightly shocked to see what Starfire had done. She'd been angry before, but she'd never actually slapped someone... _"...not that Sanza didn't need it..."_

Sanza turned toward the door of the tower, placing his mask back over his face.

"You're... you're right, Starfire," said Red X, "but when we fight Slade, I can't guarantee..."

"Let's just go back into the tower and check on those monitors," said Cyborg.

"I agree... we've been gone for a while, we should probably check on your family," said Robin, walking past Red X and the other Titans and entering the tower. Raven, Beast Boy, and Cyborg walked in as well, leaving Starfire and Red X as the last two outside the tower. Slowly, Starfire walked past Red X and placed her hand on the door leading into the Tower.

"I am... sorry that I struck you," said Starfire sincerely. "I just-"

"Forget about it," replied Red X, walking next to Starfire and placing his own hand on the door. "I just want to go in and see if my family's safe."

Red X walked into the tower, and Starfire followed him, the two Titans entering the main room of the Tower. Robin and Beast Boy headed toward the kitchen, while Cyborg was already heading toward the monitor room. Raven sat on the couch, ready to resume her book... but the big television in front of her flashed on, interrupting her reading before it even began. Starfire and Red X both looked up... only to see Slade's face on the screen.

"I told you that if you didn't do what I said, you would suffer the consequences," said Slade, his eyes narrowing. "Don't say I didn't warn you."

The screen switched to a closed-circuit video feed of a room deep within the refinery... inside the room sat Maddy and Maria Salazar, their backs to the wall, their hands tied behind their backs. Rope could also be seen tied around their ankles, and there was a piece of tape over each of their mouths. Maria looked terrified, and there were tears streaming down Maddy's face as she rested her gagged head on her mother's shoulder. Red X gasped in horror, dropping to his knees where he stood as he looked at the screen.

"I really didn't want it to come to this," said Slade, his voice in the background of the video feed, providing a devilish narration to the horrible revelation on the screen, "but when my apprentice doesn't follow orders, there have to be... certain consequences."

Red X didn't say a word, his body still trembling in rage and fear. By now, all five Titans were staring at the screen, their faces bearing the same shocked, angry reactions that Red X's face did under his mask.

"Here's the deal. You bring me the Titans' corpses, and I bring you your family. You don't, and I bring you your family's corpses. Remember, Sanza... _you _made me do this."

Maddy's muffled sobs were the last thing Red X and the Titans heard as the screen flashed off.

O-O-O

It HAD to happen sooner or later... and now it's now or never, and Sanza is finally forced to make a decision! The Titans or his family, what will it be? Oh, and by the way, Sanza's quote to Mumbo (the tyranny of evil men, great vengeance, etc.) is Jules' "Ezekiel 25:17" quote from the excellent movie _Pulp Fiction_. Just thought it'd be awesome for Sanza to say.


	18. Twin Betrayal

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Teen Titans. If I did, this would be on TV and not here.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This doesn't take place in the same storyline as my "Forced Base" and "Fractured Heart" stories, so forget those when you're reading this. Also, this takes place after the fourth season, so anything that happens in the show after that isn't applicable to this. Also, about Sanza/Red X: When he's wearing the mask, he's Red X. When he's not, he's Sanza. Simple as that.

O-O-O

Red X stared at the blank screen for several seconds, as tears nearly came to his eyes. He couldn't stand, he could barely move, and it took a great amount of effort for him to even be able to say one word.

"Slade..." Red X whispered, his eyes still fixated on the Titans' enormous television monitor.

"Sanza..." said Robin, walking over and gently gripping his fingers around Red X's upper right arm. "We'll save them... don't worry-"

"What am I supposed to do?" shouted Red X, standing up and ripping his arm from Robin's grasp. "Don't _worry_? My sister was crying, dammit! They were tied up, they were helpless, Slade could kill them both any time he wants, and you want me not to worry? I should've killed all of you when I had the chance..."

Red X took several steps back from Robin and the other Titans, extending his wrist blades and crouching into a fighting stance.

"Please, no!" Starfire shouted, her hands up to her lips. Her eyes were wide with worry, and she knew that she might have to get ready to fight Red X at any moment.

"Dude, Robin said-"

"He said they'd be safe... he said he'd watch them... but look what happened!" shouted Red X, interrupting Beast Boy and focusing all his attention on Robin, standing just a few feet away. "They were both taken... right under... right under our..."

It was then that Red X realized that it wasn't the Titans' fault his family had been kidnapped... it was his own. He'd left when Mumbo had attacked the hardware store... he'd been too obsessed with revenge to protect his own family. And in the process, he'd almost taken a life... something that would have lowered him to the level of the very criminals he was trying to protect his mother and Maddy from. A sinking feeling overtook Red X, and his legs began to wobble again.

"We said we wouldn't let anything happen to your family," said Robin, a look of genuine sincerity on his face. "We can go to Slade's headquarters... we can save your mother and sister together."

Instead of responding with anger, X looked into Robin's eyes, trying to gauge just how determined he and the other Titans were to rescue his family.

They were heroes... rescuing people was their _job_. He'd come to them before, trusting that they would help him... and now X knew he'd have to give them a chance.

"...all right," said Red X, retracting his wrist blades. "Slade's still at the Tekita Refinery... if we hurry, we should be able to take him by surprise."

Red X looked up at the Titans again, all of whom looked ready for a fight. It was now or never... it was going to be Sanza's family, or Slade. X couldn't afford to make another mistake.

"We'll save them," said Raven, and Robin backed her up with a nod of his head.

"And we'll take down Slade once and for all. But we'll need your help, Sanza..."

"This isn't about Slade," said Red X, clenching his fists. "This is about my _familia_..."

O-O-O

The T-Car raced through the streets of Jump City, now lit only by streetlights in the wake of the newly-risen moon. Robin rode alongside the car in his T-Cycle, allowing Starfire to occupy the seat behind him.

"Robin, do you truly believe that Slade will not harm Sanza's family once he sees us inside the refinery?" asked Starfire, a worried tone in her voice.

"Don't worry about it, Star," replied Robin. "Once Slade sees us, Sanza's family will already be on their way back home."

"I hope so..." replied Starfire, gripping her hands around Robin's back as the T-Cycle rounded a curve. _"If Sanza's family is harmed, it will be all our faults..."_

Inside the T-Car, Red X sat in the front passenger seat, gazing out the window at the lights of the city passing by. In each of those buildings, thought X, there was a family, just like his own... a family who loved and cared for one another more than anything in the world.

__

"What have I done?" thought Red X, his elbow resting on the side of the car door. _"If I'd never taken this suit, mom and sis would be... they'd be at home... and I'd be at home... we'd be doing normal, family things... as much as it bothers me sometimes to have them around, I'd rather be playing a game of Monopoly with them right now than be in a car headed for the factory where they're being held captive, not knowing whether they're alive or dead..."_

O-O-O

__

Three years prior, such a Monopoly game was a frequent occurrence at the Salazar house, as Friday was designated as their family game night.

"Ooooh... Sanza, you landed on Boardwalk, that means I get $1200!" said Maddy, eagerly reaching over to collect a stack of money on Sanza's side of the table. For an eight-year-old girl, she was exceptionally good at Monopoly... most likely because Sanza's mother would occasionally sell her properties at bargain prices in order to balance out the age difference between her and her big brother.

"This sucks..." sighed Sanza, looking down at the few green and white bills of Monopoly money he had left. He'd mortgaged all his properties, and was now down to his last $133, hopelessly behind Maddy and her nearly $3000 in assets. She'd already eliminated her mother Maria, and was now closing in on victory. "Okay, Maddy, it's your turn."

Maddy picked up the dice in her hand and threw them across the board in a wanton fashion. The dice nearly skidded off the table, knocking off the house that Maddy had placed on Ventnor Avenue before landing just inches from the table's edge.

"One, two, three, four, five, six!" shouted Maddy, loudly announcing each step her pewter piggy bank piece took before finally landing on a 'Community Chest' place.

"Here's your card, Maddy!" said Maria, handing Maddy the top card on the stack. Maddy held it up in front of her face, taking several seconds to read the small letters.

"Ooooh!" said Maddy, showing Sanza the card. "I won a beauty pageant!"

"You got second place," replied Sanza, "which means that third place must've been really _ugly."_

"I'm pretty," said Maddy, showing Sanza her face, which was decorated in swaths of her mother's makeup. While Maria didn't let Maddy go out in public with her face decorated, she would occasionally let her daughter wear makeup in the house, as long as she washed it off before she went anywhere. "Aren't I pretty, mommy?"

"Of course you are!" said Maria, handing Maddy a Monopoly ten-dollar-bill and causing Sanza to roll his eyes. "Now maybe you should give Sanza the dice..."

Sanza sighed as Maddy handed him the two dice, throwing them down on the table and rolling a four.

"I collect $200 for passing GO..." said Sanza, moving his top hat piece four spaces from Boardwalk. When he reached his destination, he slammed his head down on the table. He'd landed on Baltic Avenue, where Maddy had erected a hotel. Game over.

"I win!" shouted Maddy, hopping up from the table and dancing around it for several seconds.

"Stop that," Sanza groaned, sliding his chair out from under the kitchen table and starting to trudge out of the room. As he took his first few steps, he could feel Maddy's arms wrap around his own. "What do you want now?"

"Thank you for playing with me," said Maddy, her eyes wide and happy. Clearly, she wasn't as happy about winning the game as she was about the opportunity to do something with her big brother, who she loved more than anyone in the world. "We can play again another time, okay?"

Sanza started to push his sister away, but couldn't bring himself to move her arms away from his. Maddy's hug made Sanza feel special, and he allowed her to embrace him as long as she wanted to... which turned out to be quite a long time indeed.

"That's so sweet..." said Maria, smiling as she watched her two children embrace. "Okay, Maddy... maybe it's time to wash all that makeup off now..."

"Okay, mommy!" said Maddy, releasing her hold on Sanza and running out of the room, turning her head one last time as she left. "Bye bye, Sanza... I love you, k?"

O-O-O

The T-Car and T-Cycle pulled into the parking lot of the refinery, just as they'd done a few days ago when the Titans had tracked Red X to the location. This time, they'd be accompanying Red X to the building... and instead of a recon mission, the Titans and Red X would be collaborating on a rescue mission.

"Are you okay?" asked Raven, leaning over the back of Red X's seat. The thief had his head in his hands, and appeared to be deep in thought. "We're at the refinery now."

When Red X didn't reply, Raven leaned back into her own seat. Beast Boy, who was sitting next to her, turned his head and whispered something in her ear.

"What was that about?" whispered Beast Boy, noticing that Red X had ignored Raven. "Why didn't he say anything to-"

"His family's in danger," replied Raven. "Leave him alone."

With a heavy sigh, Beast Boy placed his arms across his chest, a scowl on his face.

"Just asking," Beast Boy mumbled to himself. As soon as the T-Car parked in front of the building, Red X climbed out, slowly walking up to the front door.

"Aren't we going to go through the garage?" asked Robin, walking up behind Red X and gesturing to the large metallic door through which the Titans and Red X normally entered the building. X shook his head, reaching up to the handle on the glass door and slowly pulling it open.

"Slade would expect that," said Red X, "and besides, my family's probably not through there anyway. We're going through this way."

Red X walked into the door, entering the front lobby of the refinery. The room was well air-conditioned, its gray tile floor and clean white walls a stark contrast to the gringy factory atmosphere 'enjoyed' by the most of the rest of the building. An unmanned reception desk at the far end of the room was flanked by two glass doors, both leading into what appeared to be long office hallways.

"We'll go straight through to the central tower," said Red X, walking to the right and opening up the glass doors. "We'll probably get there no matter which way we go."

"Should we not split up and look for your family as well?" asked Starfire, prompting Red X to shake his head.

"If you guys just go wandering around the factory, Slade might see you and order my family killed," replied Red X. "If Slade sees us all together, he may get the impression that I'm leading you into a trap. That will buy us time to get to him and maybe find my family along the way."

The Titans followed Red X down the right-side office corridor, past several wooden doors and through to what appeared to be a hallway leading off to the right.

__

"What if he is leading us into a trap?" thought Robin, as he and the other Titans continued following Red X as he led them around the corner and down the new hallway. Now that Red X had actually seen his family in danger, he might do anything he could to protect them... including sabotaging the Titans on a potential rescue mission.

But Robin and the Titans continued to trust Red X, who was genuinely concerned with the well-being of his family, and had to know that the best chance he had to save them was keeping the Titans alive.

At the end of this hallway was a row of three elevators, as well as two halls that led off toward the left and toward the right. A sign indicated that the right hallway led off to a factory area, while the left hall led toward the central tower. Immediately, X turned down the left hallway and continued to walk until he reached another corner and a set of glass doors set inside a large, transparent window. Behind the doors and window was a neat-looking room with dozens of circular tables and several vending machines.

"...I just remembered how hungry I am," said Beast Boy, placing his hands over his now-rumbling stomach. "Can we just stop in the cafeteria for a few minutes and-"

But Red X had already made another left, down another long, well-lit hallway. The video feed Slade had shown him of his terrified mother and sister kept replaying in his head as he walked through the building, anger in the background of his every thought.

He paused as he reached a glass door in the middle of the hallway. The door led into a wide, long lobby area, with a large elevator at the end. Above the door was a sign that read 'TO CENTRAL TOWER AREA'.

"This is it," said Red X, placing his fingers around the handle of the door. "The elevator should take us right to Slade..."

X hesitated for several moments, still thinking of the video he'd seen... the tears streaming down his sister's face... how clearly he was able to make out 'help me', even through the tape over the girl's lips... and how much he hated Slade for putting his family through all of this.

"X, are you-"

"Robin, I'm fine," said Red X, opening the glass door and slowly walking inside. _"I told you... it's my family I'm worried about..."_

The room was enormous, but X was only concerned with the middle, as he walked the straightest path he could up to the large elevator at the end. The Titans, even the hungry Beast Boy, followed him without hesitation. Finally, he stood in front of the elevator, its metal doors closed in front of him. His hand reached out for the button that would set the elevator in motion... then his hand dropped to his side, as another memory washed through his mind...

O-O-O

__

Nine-year-old Sanza sat up in his bed, his eyes beginning to water. For the first time in years, his mother hadn't read him a bedtime story... Sanza had told her that bedtime stories were 'stupid', and that he wanted to go to sleep. Just a few minutes later, he'd come to regret that decision.

"M...mommy?" Sanza cried into the darkness, his hands gripping the blanket that lay over him. She was downstairs, watching the television... the only way he'd get her attention was if he went downstairs. But it was getting late, and he wasn't supposed to get out of bed. "Mommy?"

Sanza climbed out of bed and slowly creaked open the door to his room, waiting for nearly a minute before finally gathering the nerve to step out. He slowly walked down the stairs, then entered the living room, tears now streaming down his face.

Maria immediately noticed her son's crying, and pressed the 'Mute' button on her TV remote, looking over at him as he walked slowly toward her.

"Sanza, honey... you're supposed to be in bed, aren't you?" asked Maria, as her son stood in front of the chair, rubbing tears from his eyes.

"I... I'm sorry I called stories stupid... I want a bedtime story... p...please... mommy?" asked Sanza, his words coming out in small gasps as he began crying more and more.

With a smile on her face, Maria bent down and picked up the boy, placing him in her lap and rocking him back and forth. She reached over to her remote and turned off the television.

"Let's find a book, okay?" asked Maria, gently setting Sanza down and walking over to the large bookshelf in the living room. Sanza wiped away his tears, smiling as his mother happily picked out a book. She wasn't mad at all...

O-O-O

"I can't..." said Red X, turning away from the elevator and toward the five Titans.

"Why not?" asked Robin, a look of surprise. "All we have to do is fight Slade, and-"

"I can't let him see that all of you are still alive."

Red X narrowed his eyes and clenched his fists. The Titans held their ground, unsure of what Red X was really going to do. But Red X knew... if he ever wanted to see his mother and sister alive again, he'd have to complete Slade's mission. As much as he didn't want to fight the Titans... didn't want to kill them... he knew he had to protect his family.

"X, please!" Starfire shouted, not wanting in the least to fight someone she almost considered a friend. "We do not have to-"

"Yes, we do," Red X replied, pointing his palms at the five Titans. "Slade will kill them... he'll kill them if I don't kill you first! Why don't you just make it easy and let me-"

"We can't do that," said Robin, extending his bo staff. "If you're really going to turn on us-"

"Isn't it your job to protect innocent lives?" shouted Red X, his voice lined with rage. "If you don't die, then my family will! Sacrifice for the greater good, isn't that your maxim? If you die, I can protect the city..."

"It doesn't work that way," said Raven. "The lesser of two evils... we're going to fight back, X."

"We can beat Slade!" shouted Robin. "We can beat Slade and save your family! We-"

"If you could save my family, they wouldn't be in the mess they are right now, would they? Enough talk, you're all going to die!"

Dozens of exploding Xs shot out of Red X's hands, colliding with the five Titans before they had a chance to react. The explosion destroyed the tiles on the floor beneath the Titans, sending up an enormous amount of debris and covering Red X in dust.

A blue laser rushed forward from the cloud of smoke, slamming into Red X's chest and tossing him back into the front of the elevator. Then, a green tiger leapt forward at him. Red X leapt over tiger Beast Boy, shooting out an X that transformed into a muzzle and snapped over Beast Boy's jaws, forcing them shut. Confident that he'd neutralized the threat of Beast Boy for the time being, X concentrated on the other four Titans, standing in the middle of the crater the thief had made with his initial attack.

"You're making a huge mistake," shouted Robin, leaping forward and swinging his bo staff at Red X's head. X ducked under the staff, grabbing the end of it and flinging both it and Robin back into the still-muzzled Beast Boy, forcing both of them to the ground.

"The only mistake I made was trusting you to protect my family!" shouted Red X, dodging a combination of dark energy blasts from Raven and missiles from Cyborg's chest. He extended both of his arms again, firing out binding Xs that wrapped around Raven and Cyborg's arms. The momentum from the Xs tossed Raven and Cyborg to the ground, their arms immobilized from the attack. Wasting no time, Red X rushed forward, extending his wrist blade and slamming it down into Cyborg's chest. Sparks and electricity flew from the gash X had made, and Cyborg let out a loud, pained scream.

X flipped over to Raven, who was able to stand and was still trying to wrench her arms free from the X wrapped around them. He extended his wrist blade and sliced at Raven, who leapt away but was still cut slightly across the cheek. Black blood dripped in a slow trickle from her wound.

"Nothing personal, kid," said Red X, walking toward the still-struggling Raven, "but business is business, and-"

Starfire's foot slammed into the side of Red X's face, knocking him away from Raven and sending him skidding across the room. His head hit hard against the tiled floor, but as he tried to stand, Starfire reached down and grabbed him by the neck, lifting him up several feet and holding his face at eye-level.

"We do not have to fight!" shouted Starfire, her eyes glowing bright green. "Please, allow us to-"

"Please, shut up," said Red X, stabbing both of his blades at Starfire's chest. _"Wait a minute, what am I..."_

X stopped just short of impaling Starfire, holding his blades just an inch away from her skin. She looked down and saw that Red X hadn't stabbed her, then looked back up and stared into his eyes... she could see nothing but fear. Fear for his family... fear that the Titans would kill him... fear that Starfire would hate him for what he was doing.

__

"I knew... I knew you did not want to hurt me," thought Starfire, the glow in her eyes disappearing. "Trust me... trust me like I trust you..."

Red X's blades retracted, and his anger quickly returned. With as much strength as he could, he pulled back his fist... and slammed it into the side of Starfire's face. More stunned than hurt from the blow, Starfire released her grip on Red X's neck. He quickly dropped to the floor, landing on his feet and firing another X, this one at Starfire's stomach. The X slammed into her stomach and disappeared, manifesting in the form of a jolt of electricity that caused Starfire to scream and fall hard to the ground.

"STARFIRE!" shouted Robin, leaping at Red X and swinging his bo staff at the thief's head. Red X leapt over the staff, swinging around and sweeping his leg at Robin's face. Robin raised up his hand, blocking the kick with his wrist. Red X continued spinning around, this time striking at Robin with a kick to the side. Robin leaned his body out of the way, then threw a punch of his own, hitting X in the chest and knocking him back.

"Nice moves, kid," said Red X, holding his hand to his chest, with was now slightly stinging with pain. Behind him, Beast Boy, Raven, and Cyborg were recovering from his earlier wave of attacks, and were now getting ready to strike at X again, while Starfire was just getting up from the ground, her hands glowing with Starbolt energy.

"Give it up, X," said Robin. "What makes you so sure Slade will even hold up his end of the bargain?"

"He knows what'll happen to him if he touches my family..." replied Red X. _"And as soon as I kill the Titans and I know my family is safe, your ass is mine, Slade..."_

Red X rushed at Robin again, wildly swinging his fist at the side of Robin's face. The punch missed by several inches, and Robin countered with a much swifter punch that found its way to X's jaw. The much faster Robin then swung his bo staff under X's feet, tripping him up and allowing Robin to kick upward at X's chest.

__

"I don't think so..." thought Red X, reaching out and grabbing the tip of Robin's foot as it came upward. His adrenaline was now pumping at an incredible rate, and this time, he wouldn't let any of the Titans, even Robin, push him around. Robin swung his body upward, kicking at Red X's head with his other foot. Red X leapt back, dropping Robin and letting the Boy Wonder slam hard on the ground, his back impacting against the cold tile. With incredible dexterity, Robin leapt to his feet, only to have a powerful punch from Red X strike him in the nose, knocking him back to the ground again. "Kid, this just isn't your day..."

Beast Boy, transformed into a wolf and enraged by the attack on his leader, leapt forward, only to have Red X extend his palm and fire out a Xynothium bubble that trapped Beast Boy and began floating in place, holding its shape even as wolf Beast Boy's claws and teeth shredded at it.

The tile underneath Red X turned from a shining gray to a solid black, and dozens of tiles lining the floor did the exact same thing. The affected tiles rose up from the floor, flying at Red X like a swarm of square Frisbees. As X tried to run to escape them, Raven guided them around the room in pursuit. Red X continued to run, unaware that Cyborg, arm cannon charged and ready to fire, was standing right in his path.

X turned around and was immediately confronted with the inside of Cyborg's cannon, glowing bright blue. He leapt into the air, all the way over Cyborg, who found himself firing his cannon into the heart of Raven's tiles, still in pursuit of Red X. The cannon blast destroyed a few of the tiles, while the rest all slammed into Cyborg at the same time, covering him in debris. Now Red X found himself running straight toward Raven, whose eyes were staring straight into his. He launched into a flurry of punches and kicks, which she blocked by forming tiny energy shields between herself and X's limbs, stopping his blows.

"Looks like you need a band-aid," X said sarcastically, looking at the cut on Raven's cheek as he tried to strike her with a punch or a kick.

"My body can heal itself," replied Raven, an emotionless expression on her face.

"Mine doesn't need to," shouted Red X, leaping back and firing two sticky Xs straight at Raven. The first slapped over her mouth, while the second went over her eyes, blinding her. Another X was then fired, exploding in front of Raven and showering her with red goo. The force of the explosion knocked her goo-covered body all the way back into Beast Boy's bubble, which itself burst, trapping both Raven and Beast Boy in a pile of red slime at the center of the room. _"Now to do them both in..."_

But no sooner had Red X begun to walk toward the pile of goo covering Raven and Beast Boy did Robin leap forward with a powerful kick, striking the back of Red X's head and knocking him to the ground. X used the momentum of the kick to his advantage, somersaulting forward and turning around to block Robin's next attack, a punch that struck Red X in the palm of his hand.

__

"Damn you, Robin..." thought Red X, clenching and unclenching the hand Robin had struck in an attempt to alleviate some of the pain. Robin didn't give him a moment's rest, leaping up and swinging his leg around at Red X's chest. He leapt back to avoid the kick, only to have a flurry of Starbolts slam into the ground all around him. He looked up to see Starfire just to his side, floating in the air to defend Robin from attack. "Enough!"

Red X turned around and fired a binding X at Starfire's arms. She quickly floated up, letting the X sail past her as she fired several more Starbolts at him from above.

Robin ran at Red X, vaulting off the top of his bo staff before bringing it down on Red X's head just as he dodged another Starbolt. Red X reached up and grabbed the tip of the staff, hurling it to the side and swinging Robin straight into Starfire. The two collided and slammed into the ground next to one another, only allowed a second to breathe before they were engulfed by another dozen or so exploding Starbolts.

__

"Don't worry, Maddy..." thought Red X, not blinking as he fired X after exploding X at the downed bodies of Robin and Starfire. _"I'm fighting to protect you..."_

O-O-O

In his office at the top of the building, Slade watched the fight with a great deal of interest. His apprentice was doing well, and all five of the Titans appeared to be incapacitated.

"I knew that taking your family would get your attention, Sanza..." said Slade, briefly looking over to a monitor that showed the video feed of Maddy and Maria. Maddy appeared to be asleep on the floor, while Maria sat just in front of her, reaching back with her bound hands to gently rub Maddy's soft hair. A tear could be seen rolling down the woman's cheek. "Keep it up, and your family just might live through the night..."

Slade smiled, his attention returning to the ongoing battle between the Titans and his newest apprentice.

"It's just as I told Robin... at some level, Sanza, you enjoy this... you enjoy fighting for me... you enjoy making the Titans suffer."

O-O-O

Beast Boy, detransformed and somewhat weary from the fight, sat up and wiped some of the Xynothium goo from his face. He looked to his side, where another part of the pile of slime was moving slightly.

"Raven?" said Beast Boy, staring at the moving ooze. "Are you-"

The blue-cloaked girl rose from the slime, pieces of goo still dripping from her head. Red Xs were still pasted over her eyes and mouth, and she reached over to her face and delicately began tugging at the X over her lips, pulling it off with a great deal of effort.

"Beast Boy, tell me what's going on out there," said Raven as soon as she'd pulled off the X. Beast Boy quickly looked over and saw Red X standing over Robin and Starfire, both apparently unconscious on the ground. Their bodies were shrouded in smoke. Beast Boy let out a loud gasp.

"Raven, look!" Beast Boy shouted, pointing at the fallen Robin and Starfire. Annoyed, Raven reached over, felt around for a few seconds, then grabbed Beast Boy by the shoulders.

"Beast Boy, look," said Raven, pointing to the X still planted over her eyes. "Now until I get this thing off, you're going to have to describe very carefully-"

Beast Boy reached up and ripped the X from Raven's face, nearly taking her eyebrows with it. Clenching her teeth, Raven turned around and looked over at Red X, Robin, and Starfire.

"Hey!" shouted Raven, standing up in the middle of the pile of goo and shouting to get X's attention. Beast Boy stood up next to her, and together the two stared Red X down, beckoning him to come forward.

Meanwhile, Cyborg too was walking toward Red X, the sparking and smoking hole still in his metallic chest. Red X looked around at all three of them, unshaken by their apparent second winds.

"I already took down probably the two strongest members of your little team," said Red X, confidently standing over the fallen Starfire and Robin. Unbeknownst to him, Starfire's eyes were beginning to open, and even as pain shot through her body, Starfire stood up. Red X stumbled back away from her, watching as she, Raven, Beast Boy, and Cyborg all walked toward him, ready to resume the fight. "Fine then... I'll take you all on! _I won't let my family down!_"

X extended his arms, gathering up all the Xynothium energy that he could as the Titans continued walking toward him. Finally, just as they prepared to strike, he released four long chains, two from each hand. The chains consisted of what appeared to be glowing red electricity, with red Xs poised at the ends. Each of the Xs slammed into the chests of one of the standing Titans, and the instant it had affixed itself, an enormous amount of electrical energy surged through the Xs, bringing all four Titans to their knees. They all began to scream, with Starfire screaming the loudest of all.

"What is this?" shouted Starfire, her pain-filled eyes looking straight up into Red X's face. For a second, he felt a pang of regret at hurting Starfire, but he quickly drowned that thought out of his mind with a different, much more unpleasant thought... the thought of Slade killing his helpless mother and sister. He intensified the electrical charge, flattening all four Titans face-down on the ground. Then, he ripped his hands away, dropping all four energy chains to the ground. The smoking bodies of the Titans, accompanied by their loud groans of pain, clearly indicated the damage Red X's attack had done.

Red X slowly walked over to the four Titans, his attention focused away from Robin, who was just starting to get up a few feet away from his fallen teammates. X looked down at the Titans, lying helpless and injured on the ground. His palms pointed toward them, now trembling slightly, especially as he took another look at the back of Starfire's head.

"X!" shouted Robin, staggering toward the thief. X turned around, away from the Titans and toward the Boy Wonder, who he could've sworn he'd knocked out with all the exploding Xs he'd fired earlier.

"You're in the way," said Red X, pointing his palm at Robin's face. "In the way of me seeing my family again... in the way of their lives... in the way of everything."

"I won't let you hurt my friends," said Robin, now running at Red X, his bo staff fully extended. He swung it, catching Red X across the nose and causing him to stumble back. "It still doesn't have to be like this!"

"Shut up!" shouted Red X, furiously striking Robin in the cheek with a powerful right hook, then bringing up his knee and slamming it into Robin's stomach. Robin stumbled slightly, but quickly recovered, lifting up his leg and kicking Red X in the chest. The blow knocked the thief back, but he remained on his feet. X extended his wrist blades, lunging toward Robin and slashing toward his neck. Robin raised his bo staff, blocking both of X's blades and holding back his brutal assault.

Red X leapt up, over Robin's head and back behind him. He swung out one of his wrist blades again, but Robin took his staff in one hand, swinging it up to block X's blade. With another hand, he reached down to his utility belt, pulling out four small explosive devices.

"We can... save your family... isn't that what you brought us here to do, before you decided to attack us?" shouted Robin, before leaping back and tossing out all four devices. The small bombs didn't hit Red X, but instead, flew off to four different parts of the room, exploding harmlessly against the places in the room they hit.

"You missed," said Red X, rushing toward Robin and swinging his wrist blades at the boy's head. "And by the way, yes, I did bring you here to save my family and take out Slade! But then I realized that was impossible!"

"No," said Robin, ducking under one of the blades before the other slashed at his side. "It's n-"

The blade cut through Robin's outfit before grazing across his skin, wounding the side of Robin's hip and causing him to stumble backward.

__

"He's injured... now's my chance!" shouted Red X, leaping up and stabbing both of his wrist blades down at Robin's throat. But Robin wasn't too preoccupied with his wound to respond... and respond he did, ducking down and kicking hard at Red X's ankle with his left foot. The attack sent Red X tumbling forward, but as he did, Red X reached out and punched Robin hard in the mouth. Then, X hit the ground, landing awkwardly on his feet and clutching his hurt ankle. Robin stumbled backward, wiping a small trickle of blood from the side of his mouth. As soon as Red X straightened himself out, he stared at Robin, letting his wrist blades retract back into his suit. In his flight, he'd seen something... a few sparks dropping from the wall where one of Robin's bombs had exploded... Robin would now get another opportunity to speak.

"How about you go take out Slade, and we'll look for your family?" asked Robin in a less combative tone, though his raised fists clearly meant that he was ready to fight if X refused his offer.

"That sounds all well and good, but you'll never find them," replied X, "and even if you do, it might be too late... Slade would know."

"He doesn't know what's going on in this room right now," said Robin. "I blew up the cameras."

"I could see that," replied Red X, "which is the only reason I'm not pummeling your face in right now."

Red X looked back toward the elevator... then over at Robin, who was still in somewhat of a fighting stance. The other Titans were lying exhausted and injured on the ground... in no shape to fight through the legions of men and machines that Slade had probably deployed to guard Maddy and Maria.

"If my family doesn't come back safe..." said Red X, turning and walking toward the elevator, "then we _will _fight again. And this time, I won't quit."

Red X pressed the 'up' button on the elevator. In a few seconds, the doors opened, and Red X stepped inside. He turned back to Robin one last time.

"Tell Starfire... no, just forget it," said Red X, sighing as the doors closed. _"She's probably already forgiven me..."_

Robin watched as X disappeared into the rising elevator. Then, he ran over to his fallen comrades, kneeling down next to Starfire and turning her around. Her eyes were closed, but she was conscious, breathing heavily and occasionally giving a soft moan.

She opened her eyes, wearily looking up into Robin's. She smiled softly, sitting up and trying to climb to her feet. Robin extended a hand to help her, but she shook her head, standing up and stumbling about for several seconds before finally regaining her balance.

The other Titans stood up a few seconds later, weary from the fight but still ready to go on a mission. And a mission was exactly what Robin had for them.

"I'm glad you guys are okay... but now we've got to try and find Sanza's mother and sister," said Robin. "Are you guys okay with-"

"Robin, did you see what X did to us?" shouted Beast Boy, rubbing his head.

"If you're saying that we shouldn't help Sanza because he attacked us," replied Raven, angrily glaring at Beast Boy, "then-"

"I mean, just think about what he'd do if we didn't help out his mom and sister!" said Beast Boy, a smile forming on his face. "C'mon, we gotta go save 'em!"

"BB's right, let's kick some Sladebot butt and rescue the mom and kid!" said Cyborg, eagerly pumping his fists.

"I am worried about Sanza..." said Starfire, glancing back at the elevator. "Is he... is he really going to confront Slade?"

"If he fights Slade as hard as he fought all of us, he's going to be just fine," said Robin, walking toward the entrance of the now-wrecked elevator lobby. "But the sooner we save Sanza's family, the sooner we can come back and help him."

"So we must hurry, then?" said Starfire. "Then let us hurry and rescue Sanza's family!"

O-O-O

The elevator took Red X up to the circular room again... two elevators to his left was the capsule that would take him back up to Slade.

He stepped into that elevator and went up again, all the way to the very top floor of the tower.

__

"How is Slade going to react when I get up here?" Red X asked himself as the elevator carried him skyward. _"I'll just have to stop him from ordering his men to kill my family... and then keep him occupied long enough for the Titans to save them..."_

But Red X didn't just want to keep Slade occupied... he wanted to kill him... wanted to end this ordeal once and for all, both for himself and his family.

__

"I'll never be your apprentice," thought Red X as the elevator finally reached its destination, the top of the shaft and the beginning of the long hallway that would take him to Slade's office. _"Even if you kill my family, I'll never serve you... my only purpose now is to destroy you."_

The elevator door opened, and Red X stepped out into the hall. At the very end, he could see someone standing in front of Slade's office. It was Slade himself, and from the way he stood, X could tell that he'd already been expecting the thief's arrival.

__

"I wonder if he already knows I'm coming to kill him?" thought Red X, walking until he stood about twenty feet from Slade. He stopped, and his entire body began trembling... X was nervous...nervous that Slade knew, and that he'd already ordered Maddy and Maria to be killed. X could only hope that wasn't the case...

"I didn't get to see the end of the fight... but I can only assume you've completed your mission," said Slade, a hint of skepticism in his voice. "Am I right?"

"What did I tell you, Slade?" asked Red X, his eyes staring straight into Slade's. "What did I tell you would happen if you laid a hand on my family?"

"Sanza, Sanza, Sanza, does any of that matter now? The Titans are dead, and we can begin our-"

"I'm going to kill you, Slade," said Red X, reaching up to pull off his mask. "And this isn't about Red X... it's about me."

The mask dropped to the floor at Sanza's feet. He looked up at Slade again, his eyes narrowed in rage. An angry tone seeped into Slade's voice.

"You didn't kill them, did you?" said Slade, his fists clenching.

"What does that matter?" replied Sanza. "What matters now is that I'm going to tear off your head!"

Sanza charged Slade, wanting to fight the evil mastermind up close and personal, without resorting to his gadgets unless he needed to. As he got close, Slade's powerful arm smacked hard across Sanza's chest, knocking him to the ground. His head slammed against the hard obsidian floor of the hallway, and when he looked up, he could see Slade staring down at him.

"You're going to learn the hard way that an apprentice does not raise his hand to strike his master!" shouted Slade, stomping down at Sanza. Sanza rolled out of the way, standing up and punching at Slade's chest. The punch was blocked by Slade's palm, and before Sanza could strike again, Slade's fist slammed into his forehead, knocking him to the ground again.

__

"I knew Slade would be tough, but... damn..." thought Sanza, weakly rising up from the ground. Slade's foot struck him in the chest, knocking him into the side wall. As Sanza slumped against the wall, Slade walked slowly toward him, his voice calmer, as a cold calculation began to seep into his words.

"If this is about Maddy and your mother, rest assured, I haven't harmed them..." said Slade, his powerful hand reaching up and holding Sanza to the wall by his neck. "But maybe now I'm going to change my mind."

Sanza's palm thrust outward and blasted Slade in the chest with an exploding X, hurling him away and knocking him into the wall on the other side of the hallway. Sanza slumped to the ground, trying hard to catch his breath.

__

"Tired already..." thought Sanza, rubbing the spot on his neck that Slade had grabbed. He looked up and could see Slade already walking back toward him, his chest completely undamaged by the explosion. _"That fight with the Titans took more out of me than I thought... there's no way I-"_

Slade's fist rushed toward Sanza's head. Sanza, reacting as quickly as he could, leapt to the side, allowing Slade's fist to rush past him and into the wall, punching through several inches. Sanza reached out and blasted Slade's legs with another X, the X wrapping around Slade's ankles and binding his legs tightly together. As Sanza backed away, Slade glared toward him.

"You think this is going to stop me?" said Slade, pointing down to the metallic binding cable around his feet. "You really are dumber than I thought."

Without warning, Slade leapt into the air, striking Sanza's face with a powerful drop kick that slammed him back into the front door of Slade's office. As Sanza slumped against the door, groaning in pain, he could taste blood starting to run down his face, from his lips down to the bottom of his chin. He stood up to see Slade easily tearing the cable from his legs, tossing it to the ground and watching as it dissolved into the floor.

"It's unbelievable that you kept the Tamaranian girl tied up in this stuff for so long," said Slade, standing just a few feet away from Sanza as he continued to wipe the blood from his lip.

"Robin designed it, remember?" said Sanza. "It's designed to hold back the powers of a Tamaranian... it's too bad he couldn't make a special binding cable for douchebags, too."

Slade didn't even offer a chuckle. Instead, he continued watching as Sanza struggled to keep himself on his feet, still dazed from Slade's earlier dropkick.

"By the way, if you're wondering why I don't want to be your apprentice... it's not because of my family, or anything else except the fact that I just don't want to work for you. Or anyone else."

"That's nice to hear," said Slade, "but I think after a sound beating, you'll be singing a different tune."

Slade rushed at Sanza again, who crouched in anticipation of another attack. As Slade began launching into another kick, Sanza leapt up, pointing both palms at Slade and firing several exploding Xs aimed at Slade's face and chest. The Xs created a cloud of smoke that shrouded Red X as he ducked between Slade's legs, turning around briefly and placing an X on Slade's back before running out of the cloud of smoke and turning to face Slade again.

__

"C'mon..." said Sanza, watching the cloud of smoke eagerly for any signs of movement. _"Come on out and-"_

Slade burst from the smoky cloud, throwing several punches at Sanza's head. Sanza leapt over the first punch, but was unable to dodge the second, as it landed squarely on target, hitting Sanza in the stomach and throwing him to the ground. The punch was powerful, and Sanza felt immediately as if the wind had been knocked out of him... but the X that Sanza had planted still remained on Slade's back. As Slade's foot raised to stomp Sanza again, the X suddenly widened, expanding until it seemed like there was a metallic pair of wings growing from Slade's back. The X then rushed backward, taking Slade with it until it embedded itself into the wall in front of the door to Slade's office, holding Slade nearly a foot off of the ground.

"How dare you!" shouted Slade, struggling to break free of the X that held his back to the wall. But the X had planted itself firmly into Slade's back, and now he was completely stuck... and vulnerable to attack. Sanza extended his two wrist blades and began walking toward Slade, a smile on his face.

"You've got a lot of nerve kidnapping my family like you did, Slade," said Sanza, "especially after what happened to Sorel..."

Slade didn't bother kicking or thrashing as Sanza walked up to him, even as the boy pointed the tip of his wrist blade at Slade's heart.

"Can you really go through with it, Sanza?" asked Slade as Sanza pulled back the blade in preparation to stab Slade in the chest. "Do you think God would approve of you killing me?"

Sanza hesitated for only a second... then he again remembered how terrified his sister's face looked in the video feed Slade had shown him. The tears in her eyes, her muffled screams...

"If he doesn't, I guess I'll see you in hell," said Sanza, stabbing down at Slade's heart. But when his blade hit Slade's chest, it didn't pierce through... or even make a small wound. Instead, Sanza's blade began to crack... his right wrist blade now bore a fracture that went all the way from its tip down to its base. As a stunned Sanza looked down at his broken blade, Slade kicked him hard across the face, knocking him to the ground, several feet away. Then, with some effort, Slade ripped himself free from the large X embedded into the wall, which broke into pieces as Slade freed himself from it. Sanza, now with both a bloody lip _and _a broken and bloodied nose, cried out in pain as Slade walked toward him, angrily grabbing the boy by his collar and holding him in the air.

"You have no chance against me!" shouted Slade, tossing Sanza to the ground. "The only way you'll _ever _amount to anything, the only way you'll EVER be strong enough to protect your family is if you join me as my apprentice!"

With a renewed anger in his heart, Sanza stood up and punched at Slade, who easily moved his head out of the way. Sanza kicked at Slade's side, but Slade blocked the kick with his wrist, then slapped Sanza across the front of his broken nose, knocking him back down to the ground.

__

"This... isn't happening..." thought Sanza, looking up and seeing Slade without even so much as a scratch. _"All the powers of this suit, and my own abilities... and I haven't even hurt him yet!"_

Suddenly, the walls of the room began to change... instead of the black that their smooth obsidian surfaces reflected, the live video feed of Maria and Maddy appeared all around the room, reflecting on hundreds of screens that Slade had built into the walls. Sanza looked all around, the images and sounds of his mother's sobs overwhelming his senses. He stood up, clenching his fists in rage... his eyes stared straight into Slade's, and with all the fury and anger in his heart, Sanza's fist slammed right into Slade's face. Slade stumbled back, surprised by the force of Sanza's punch... and also surprised by the painful tingling in his face behind his mask.

"YOU'LL DIE FOR HURTING THEM, SLADE!" Sanza shouted, running at Slade as adrenaline surged through his body.

"That's it, my apprentice... show me your rage!" shouted Slade, raising his fists to protect himself from Sanza's next attack. "Show me how far you can go!"

O-O-O

The Titans had made their way back through the refinery, and were now heading through the part of the building that they'd seen marked earlier as leading to the factory area. Sure enough, after heading down that hallway for about half a minute, they saw a large, closed metallic gate in front of them, and could hear the sounds of machinery working hastily behind it.

"Guys, that fight really made me hungry..." said Beast Boy, holding his stomach as Robin planted a bomb on the gate and stepped back. "Are you sure we can't just go to the cafeteria for a little-"

The explosion made by Robin's bomb interrupted Beast Boy and destroyed the gate, leaving a wide-open path to the factory ahead. The Titans, including Beast Boy, rushed through the gate and into an enormous room with a smooth, cement floor and large, metallic walls. Inside the room, conveyor belts, cranes, and hundreds of small metallic parts could be seen moving about. Some of the parts were being assembled into entire machines, and soon, the Titans could see assembly lines of Sladebot workers, making new brethren for themselves.

"Sladebots building Sladebots," said Cyborg quietly, so as not to be heard by the busily working machines. "It figures..."

"Slade's building an army," Raven replied, amazed at the sheer number of machines that were being constructed in such a short amount of time. "He's trying to take over the city..."

"With Red X at his side," Starfire ominously continued. The Titans walked past several assembly lines, wondering why the Sladebots who were working didn't see them and try to fight them. Robin concluded that it was because the Sladebots had been programmed to build, not to fight... that way, efficiency could be at its maximum.

The Titans continued walking through the factory room, before Cyborg spotted a small elevator off to the side that appeared to be going down. Several Sladebots were entering the room through it, while others were exiting, apparently to do more work on the lines. When the group of Sladebots coming out of the elevator saw the Titans, however, it was clear that these particular bots weren't completely in 'assembly' mode.

"Intruders!" shouted the leader of the Sladebots, pointing his gun at the five Titans. Immediately, every Sladebot working at the lines suddenly stopped what they were doing and turned toward the Titans, their eyes glowing a deep red.

"Uh, guys?" said Raven, charging up her energy and preparing for a Sladebot pincer attack, "it looks like we're going to be fighting our way through after all..."

O-O-O

Sanza's punches and kicks were much faster this time around... his anger and determination were both clearly showing, and Slade was forced to block each and every one of Sanza's blows instead of just dodging them. After a few punches and kicks, Sanza leapt back, prepared to try something else... several shuriken Xs that sliced toward Slade, most of them bouncing off his armor, but one that actually managed to slash across his shoulder, making a small chip in the metal.

"Looks like you've got a little nick there," said Sanza, running at Slade and leaping over a kick aimed for his knees. "I'll just have to focus on that!"

Sanza extended his left wrist blade and stabbed down into the nick before landing behind Slade and retracting the blade back into his wrist. Slade felt a slight pain as Sanza stabbed into his shoulder, and when Sanza looked back, he could see the damage for himself. A small trickle of blood was oozing from the crack in Slade's suit.

"So you _do _bleed under all that armor," said Sanza, a slight smile on his face.

"Of course I do," replied Slade, unfazed by the small scratch Sanza had made. "I'm only human, after all."

"We both are," said Sanza, running at Slade again and striking forward with a punch at Slade's neck. The punch caught Slade right in the throat, and he stumbled back, gasping for breath. Sanza didn't give him a chance to counter, leaping back and tossing four Xs onto the floor around Slade. The Xs lit up, forming an energy dome around Slade just like the one he'd trapped Sorel in. "Now you're trapped..."

"I thought you wanted to kill me, Sanza," said Slade. "I'm not going to kill myself like Sorel did."

But Sanza couldn't reply to Slade... because he was on one knee, struggling to catch his breath. His attack on Slade had exhausted him, and now he was barely able to stand, let alone throw many more punches. Sanza could only hope that the barrier would stall Slade long enough for him to get some of his strength back.

That hope was dashed when Slade's fist slammed through the barrier, causing the entire thing to disappear and all four Xs on the ground to shatter. Sanza stepped back, his mouth widened in shock.

"How... how did you... Sorel-"

"...tell me you didn't think that Sorel was even in my league, or close to it. If he was that good, he'd have been my apprentice, not someone like you... Sorel was pathetic, just someone to hold my place as I built up my army and made preparations to take you on as an apprentice."

Sanza looked at one of the screens on the wall. By now, Maddy was awake, as she had begun sobbing again, her tears running from her eyes, over the tape that covered her lips, down her chin all the way to the floor below. Her eyes were wide, and seemingly staring straight into Sanza's. The video feed was one-way, so neither Maddy or Maria could see Sanza and Slade in the hallway... but to Sanza, it seemed like his little sister was looking straight at him... begging him to help her.

"She's depending on you, Sanza... depending on you to make the right decision."

Sanza turned to Slade, his eyes once again narrowed in anger.

"Will you become my apprentice and save your family's life? Or will you continue to fight me and get all three of you killed?"

Sanza pointed his palms at Slade and fired a large, glowing red net. Slade leapt into the air, kicking straight through the net and striking Sanza in the chest with a powerful kick.

"WRONG CHOICE!" Slade shouted, running over to Sanza and raising his fist above the boy's head.

O-O-O

Nearly one hundred Sladebots... the odds against the Teen Titans were incredible, but somehow they were managing to hold their own, tired as they were from the battle against Red X. Raven's shield protected the Titans from an enmasse attack from every Sladebot at once, and a combination of Starbolts, eye lasers, flash bombs, plasma blasts, missiles, and large animal hooves was quickly reducing the enemy numbers.

The Titans had just finished destroying every single Sladebot when a large crane from the ceiling suddenly lowered down toward them, its four arms opening to reveal large laser ports that began firing down at the five beleaguered Titans. The laser blasts quickly destroyed Raven's energy shield, knocking the girl flat on her back. Three other cranes also lowered toward the Titans, their lasers firing at full-strength.

"I assume this is one of Slade's new weapons?" said Robin, firing his Batcable and wrapping around one of the cranes. As soon as his cable had wrapped around it, the crane stopped firing and began violently spinning around, flinging Robin into one of the factory walls.

"I shall assist you, Robin!" shouted Starfire, floating into the air and firing a flurry of Starbolts at the crane that had just thrown Robin. The crane was undamaged, and it opened back up to bombard Starfire with lasers, knocking her to the ground next to Raven.

Cyborg spun around, blasting the cranes with shots from his arm cannon that did little good against their well-crafted metallic frames. Deciding to try a different approach, Cyborg transformed his arms into powerful gatling guns that fired thousands of bullets at the durable cranes. Again, his attacks had little effect, and before he could try firing again, the crane had picked him up and was lifting him high into the air.

"Cyborg!" shouted Robin, rushing toward the crane and tossing out several bombs. He too found himself picked up and lifted by one of the cranes, which began tightly squeezing into his chest, starting to crack his ribs.

Starfire flew toward the crane holding Robin, firing a desperate stream of eye lasers at the crane's base. By now, another crane had picked up Raven, and as soon as it had raised her into the air, the fourth crane lowered toward Starfire, picking her up and holding her in the air, the crane wrapped around her stomach. Now, all Titans except Beast Boy were trapped in the grasp of the cranes, which squeezed them until they could no longer breathe. Beast Boy, who'd tried punching the cranes as a gorilla, then transformed into an elephant and had tried ripping them out with his trunk, now fretted as he watched the cranes slowly crush his friends, with no good ideas on what to do.

"Beast Boy, you've gotta help!" Robin shouted, as the crane put more and more pressure on his midsection. His mind raced even faster... and finally, he found a solution. He transformed into an octopus and grabbed onto a crane with one of his tentacles... then stretched out as much as he could and grabbed onto another. The two cranes that Beast Boy had grabbed tried pulling backward, hoping to stretch out Beast Boy enough to force his grip loose. With an enormous amount of flexibility, Beast Boy reached two more of his tentacles out to grab the third and fourth cranes... then held on as tightly as he could as the cranes began trying to pull him apart.

__

"THIS WAS SO STUPID!" thought Beast Boy, straining against the force of the four cranes as they tugged at his powerful legs, trying to break free from his grip. The other four Titans were still being held by the cranes, but were no longer being crushed, as the cranes had chosen to focus more on trying to pull Beast Boy apart.

"You can do it!" shouted Starfire, trying to encourage her green octopus friend. Starfire's words only gave Beast Boy more resolve, and he held his ground as the cranes pulled farther and farther away, stretching his body out as far as it would go...

And finally, the strain was too much... for the cranes. As the cranes continued to pull, their massive frames ripped right from their moorings. The terrible sound of wires being ripped open echoed through the entire building as the cranes pulled all the way out of their bases... and then fell to the ground, deactivated by their own straining. Their grips released, and Robin, Starfire, Raven, and Cyborg were dropped unceremoniously to the ground... and finally, Beast Boy, who'd strained so hard to hold back the cranes, detransformed and collapsed, his arms and legs burning with pain.

The Titans rushed to his side... even Raven was concerned for him.

"Can... can we _now _go to the cafeteria?" asked Beast Boy weakly, his eyes staring straight up into Raven's.

"We've still got a family to save, remember?" Raven replied, helping Beast Boy up from the ground. As soon as he was able to stand, he fell into Raven's arms, his own arms wrapping around her back. "Stop that, I'm still sore from nearly being crushed.

Beast Boy released Raven, his legs and arms still slightly wobbly. With a long sigh, he turned to Robin, who was about to give further instructions.

"We'd better head down that elevator now," said Robin, gesturing to the lift from which the Sladebots had emerged. "They must've been down there doing something important... and we need to find out what."

The other Titans nodded, and together, all five of them went into the elevator, allowing it to take them down into the depths of Slade's refinery.

O-O-O

Sanza rolled out of the way, barely avoiding Slade's fist as it crashed into the floor next to him. He stood up, pointing his palms at Slade and charging up to fire another X attack. Slade had other ideas. He charged forward, slamming into Sanza and knocking him all the way back into one of the monitors. His back slammed into Maddy's face on the screen, shattering the entire monitor to pieces and raining sparks down on both Slade and himself.

"Tell me, Sanza... why are you afraid of the Titans, but not afraid of me?" shouted Slade as he held Sanza's body to the wall, his hands gripped tightly around Sanza's upper arms, preventing any sort of Xynothium attack. "You're shaking... is it because Maddy is in danger? Or your mother? Or is it because you're afraid of what I'm going to do to you?"

"I'm not... afraid of you..." replied Sanza. His voice was trembling... something he found himself unable to control.

"Don't decieve yourself, boy-"

"I said I'm not afraid of you!"

With a great deal of effort, Sanza lifted his legs and kicked Slade hard in the chest, sending him stumbling backward. Then, Sanza pointed his hands at Slade's chest and bombarded the wicked man with Xs, some of them designed to explode, some designed to transform into goo, and some designed to shock Slade with enough electricity to kill a normal human being. The combined force of the Xs brought Slade to one knee, and his entire body was pulsating with a field of red electricity. Sanza extended his arms, firing an X at every screen in the hallway, shattering them all and filling the room with sparks and smoke. He had enough memories in his mind to remind him of his family... he didn't need everything he looked at to remind him of them too.

"I'm going to make you afraid of me..." said Sanza, running at Slade and kicking him in the face, knocking him flat on his back. He stood over Slade, his entire face a bright shade of red, his chest heaving up and down as he spoke. "I'm going to make you wish you were my sister... that's how scared you'll be when I'm done with-"

Sanza's legs went numb. Slade's foot had gone inbetween them, slamming into Sanza's groin with an unbelievable amount of force. Sanza let out a high-pitched squeak, stumbling back as his stomach began to feel as if it had turned inside-out. Slade rose to his feet, watching Sanza as he stumbled back toward the wall.

"I guess you forgot that I'm not a very clean fighter," said Slade, powerfully backhanding Sanza across the face. The blow threw Sanza all the way back into the wall, and opened up a cut just above Sanza's eye, adding to the blood already dripping down Sanza's face. His eyes widened in horror as Slade walked toward him, pounding his right fist into his left hand. "I'm going to enjoy this..."

And for the first time, Sanza realized... that he was afraid of Slade.

O-O-O

The elevator took the Titans to a dark, narrow hallway, devoid of light except for a few small fixtures hanging from the ceiling. Several Sladebots patrolled the hall, but they were easily dispatched by the weary, yet still battle-ready Titans, as they made their way down the hall and to a small, metallic, windowless door at the end.

"If there's just one more Sladebot behind this door, I'm running straight to the cafeteria," groaned Beast Boy, as Robin creaked the door open. But inside the room was something that surprised the Titans even more...

The woman and child the five Titans had been searching for were kneeling inside, their wide eyes streaming tears above their tape-sealed lips.

"Robin!" cried Maddy through the tape, struggling to make it to her feet as the Titans rushed over to her and her mother. She was able to get up and make a single bunny hop toward Robin, who wrapped his arms around the girl before she could lose her balance, holding her tightly to his chest.

"You're safe now..." said Robin, softly comforting the relieved young girl. "We're going to get you both out of here..."

O-O-O

Well, it appears that Sanza's mother and sister are safe... but what of Sanza, locked in a battle with Slade from which there's seemingly no escape? With the screens destroyed, he can't know his family has just been saved... can the Titans reach him in time? Or will Slade's dirty tactics cost Sanza his life?


	19. The Fortress Falls

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Teen Titans. If I did, this would be on TV and not here.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This doesn't take place in the same storyline as my "Forced Base" and "Fractured Heart" stories, so forget those when you're reading this. Also, this takes place after the fourth season, so anything that happens in the show after that isn't applicable to this. Also, about Sanza/Red X: When he's wearing the mask, he's Red X. When he's not, he's Sanza. Simple as that.

O-O-O

After freeing Maria and Maddy from their bonds, the Titans took the woman and child to the front lobby of the building. Thankfully, there wasn't a single Sladebot to impede their progress on the way... the two had seen enough horror that night as it was.

Once they reached the front lobby, Robin knew there was one last task to do in the factory... but he had to make sure Sanza's mother and sister returned safely home.

"Starfire, Raven, Beast Boy, Cyborg... you take Sanza's family back to where they live," said Robin.

"Wait a minute!" shouted Maria, concern for her son's life first on her mind. "Where is my son? Have you seen-"

"He's up there," said Robin, pointing toward the ceiling but indicating the top of the tower. "With Slade..."

Maria issued a loud scream, her worst fears having been confirmed. Slade had not only kidnapped her and her daughter, but apparently, her son was also being held captive... with Slade himself. Even Maddy was concerned, and more tears began falling down her cheeks.

"Do not worry," said Starfire, reaching over to place a comforting hand on Maddy's cheek. "Your brother will not be harmed... Robin will make sure of that."

Maddy nodded, knowing that if the Titans could save her and her mother, they could save Sanza as well. But Maria wasn't so sure, and she couldn't bring herself to look at Robin or any of the other Titans... especially if it might be too late to save her son.

"Your son... saved my life," said Starfire. "That is why Slade brought the two of you here, and why Slade is angry with your son... Sanza could have brought me to Slade, but instead he chose to let me go... that is why Slade is out to get you and your family."

The fabricated story would keep the Titans from having to tell Maria that her son Sanza was in fact, Red X... Robin wanted Sanza to tell them that on his own.

"He's a very brave boy, Mrs. Salazar... please, just let us handle this," said Robin. Maria looked up at him, wiping a tear from her cheek.

"You help my son... and you make sure that that bastard Slade spends the rest of his life in jail!" Maria shouted, a mixture of fear and anger in her voice. "Do you hear me?"

"It's time to go, Mrs. Salazar..." said Cyborg, tapping the woman on her shoulder. "Robin needs to be allowed to do his job, but before he can, we have to make sure you and your daughter are safe."

"Don't worry, mommy..." Maddy said, a smile on her face. "I know the Teen Titans can help Sanza! Just like they helped us!"

With tears still streaming down her face, Maria began walking toward the front door of the building, without saying a word. Maddy quickly followed her, as did Raven, Beast Boy, and Cyborg. Then, Starfire started to leave... but something made her stop.

She could hear Robin turn and walk back toward the right-side hallway that led toward the elevator room... the elevator that would take him up to Slade, and maybe the battle of his life. Starfire shook her head... she had a duty to perform, and she wasn't going to let Robin face Slade alone. As he crossed into the hallway, Starfire turned around, a sense of urgency in her voice.

"Robin, wait!" shouted Starfire, causing Robin to turn around.

"Starfire, you're supposed to be with Sanza's family, helping to get them back home..."

Again, Starfire shook her head. As long as Robin was walking into danger, Starfire wasn't going anywhere. She wanted to be right beside him, no matter what.

"I wish to go with you to rescue Sanza from Slade..." said Starfire, as confidently as she could. "Robin, I am concerned that you may come into harm... and I wish to help."

"Starfire, I can fight Slade on my own," said Robin, though his aching limbs told a different story. The battles with Red X and the cranes had taken a toll on him... as well as on Starfire. Even the two of them together might not be able to beat Slade... even with Red X's help, if he was still able to fight. That was part of the reason Robin didn't want to get Starfire involved... if he would be fighting a losing battle, Starfire could be put in harm's way...

Robin's urge to protect Starfire had returned... the same urge that constantly held him back from expressing his feelings to her now held him back from letting her go with him to fight Slade. He didn't need to protect Starfire... she was strong, stronger than he was... so why was he constantly trying?

"I will not take no for an answer, Robin," said Starfire, her hands on her hips. "We will fight Slade and protect Sanza... together."

Resigned to the fact that Starfire would be in danger, Robin gave a conciliatory nod and began running down the right hallway. Starfire followed him, their coming battle with Slade on both of their minds.

They could only hope Sanza would be all right when they got to the top of the building...

O-O-O

Slade's fist careened through the air, missing Sanza's face by just inches as he slid his body to the side and out of the way. A droplet of blood from his lips flew off into the air, propelled by his backward motion.

His entire body, from his legs, to his chest and arms, all the way up to his lacerated face felt as if it would give out at any moment. Sanza was running purely on adrenaline now, and even those reserves were being rapidly depleted with every passing second. As he slid to the side to avoid Slade's punch, he seemed to be falling backward... his palm raised in the air to fire another X as Sanza tried to buy time so he could catch his breath.

__

"I do this all for you, Maddy... and you too, mom..." thought Sanza, releasing the X from his hand. As it flew toward Slade, Sanza could barely remember what the X even did... would it explode, or cover Slade in goo? Or maybe freeze him... yeah, freezing would be good... but as it turned out, the X did absolutely nothing. Slade reached out and trapped the X in his palm, crushing it to dust with just the force of his grip. Sanza gasped, then suddenly, he could feel a crushing blow to his knee, where Slade's powerful foot had just made impact. His left leg fell out from under him, and in less than a second, Sanza found himself face-down on the ground yet again.

"I don't see why you're fighting like your life depends on it," said Slade, the arrogant, casual quality of his normal tone finally beginning to return. "I don't plan to kill you... you're really quite the fighter, and you'll make the perfect apprentice. You just need a whole lot of training."

"I... will NEVER... be your apprentice..." said Sanza, picking himself up from the ground. Slade smiled, stepping back to allow Sanza enough room to stand.

"I think you will," replied Slade. "I haven't commanded my Sladebots to harm your family... but don't think I won't if you don't do exactly as I say. Think of your little sister, Sanza... I can always hire more human workers, and humans have carnal urges just like everyone else..."

Sanza's eyes narrowed, and a cry of rage formed in his throat, surfacing as Sanza leapt to his feet and slammed his arms into Slade's chest, knocking him to the ground. As he raised his hand above Slade's head, Slade reached out and grabbed Sanza's wrist, his fingers crushing tightly into the bone. Sanza screamed, and Slade stood up, using his leverage to wrench Sanza's wrist behind his back.

"Maybe I'll just make you stay _here_... you'll never see your mother or your sister again!" shouted Slade, twisting Sanza's arm back nearly hard enough to dislocate his shoulder. Sanza screamed again, barely able to stand with all the pressure that Slade's powerful hold was placing on his chest and back.

"I'm not leaving... until you're dead!" shouted Sanza, trying to form an X in the hand that Slade was holding behind his back. All the pain shooting through Sanza's arm, however, made it impossible for him to concentrate, and he had to refocus his energy on breaking the hold that Slade had on him. "No one... hurts... my family..."

Suddenly, the grip on Sanza's arm was released, and he found himself stumbling forward until all of his inertia had been used up. He whipped himself back around, using his right hand to rub up and down his entire left arm, which still burned with pain.

"You're like a broken record, Sanza. Family this, family that... what is it about them that you love so much, Sanza? What is it that allows me to control you so easily by just threatening to cause them a little bit of harm?"

"You'd never understand, Slade... you don't have a family like I do!"

Sanza ran at Slade and began punching furiously, not caring that each and every single one of his blows were being sidestepped. With every punch, more and more of Sanza's energy was being depleted... the last of his strength was being used for punches that weren't doing him a bit of good.

Finally, Slade caught Sanza's right fist in his hand... then, in his other hand, Slade caught Sanza's left fist. As Sanza struggled to pull free, Slade held his fists tighter... Sanza was stuck, his weak arms unable to escape Slade's grasp.

"Actually," said Slade, barely having to use even a fraction of his strength to hold the exhausted Sanza's arms in place, "I do have a family... a son and a daughter who are a lot like you... with one big exception. To them, I'm not a crutch!"

Slade released Sanza's fists, only to bend down and punch the boy in the stomach. Sanza gasped and stumbled back, both hands clutched tightly to his midsection. He looked up at Slade with hate-filled eyes... but in the back of his mind, his only emotion was fear... fear for his family, and fear for himself.

It would only be a matter of time now...

"Your attachments are worthless, Sanza," said Slade, walking toward the gasping, coughing boy, "your only weakness... had it not been for your attachment to Starfire, you could've had your way with her. Without your trust for the Titans, you could've killed all of them in their sleep. And without your family clouding your judgment and blinding you with rage directed at me, you just might've stood a chance at beating me! But now look at you. You're pathetic, Sanza... but I can rid you of your attachments... I can give you strength beyond your wildest dreams... and one day, you might even surpass me. But you're a fool... you let your conscience and your pride hold you back."

Suddenly, Slade could feel a powerful kick slam into the back of his head... and he was hurtled forward, over Sanza and toward the door at the back of the hallway. Sanza looked back at Slade... and then forward, where the two people he least expected to see were now standing right in front of him.

"Sanza!" shouted Starfire, gasping as she looked at the terrible wounds on his face. "Are you-"

"I'm still alive, aren't I?" Sanza replied, amazed that Robin and Starfire had actually come back for him. "Maddy and my mom, are they-"

"They're fine," said Robin. "Raven, Beast Boy, and Cyborg are taking them back home right now."

"NO!" shouted Slade, his fists tightly clenched. "You were supposed to kill them, Sanza!"

"I haven't been obeying your orders for a while, Slade... you didn't think I'd actually start now, did you?" asked Sanza, turning toward Slade with Robin and Starfire standing just behind him. "I told you I'd make good on my promise... you're dead, Slade."

Slade certainly could've fought Sanza, Robin, and Starfire... and in their present states, Slade probably would've beaten them. But he had a different plan in mind... a contingency plan in case Sanza's family escaped and the Titans were still alive. So instead of fighting Sanza and the two Titans, Slade turned and ran into his office, just a few feet away from where he'd been standing.

"After him!" shouted Robin, already taking up the pursuit with Sanza and Starfire. Sanza extended his hand, firing several exploding Xs at Slade as he ran into his office door... but it was too late. The Xs exploded against the door, leaving Slade completely unharmed on the other side.

"No!" screamed Starfire, floating up and firing a Starbolt at the closed door. Whatever the door was made of, it held strong, even as Robin and Sanza began pounding it with their fists, trying to break inside.

"Even if we can't get in, he's still trapped in there," said Sanza, stopping his assault on the door and looking at Robin. "There aren't any windows in there last I checked... all we have to do is wait."

But something told Robin that the longer Slade was able to hole up in his office, the more dangerous the situation would get... Slade wasn't one to run from a fight with three weakened opponents... unless there was a more sinister reason...

O-O-O

Inside the office, Slade brought up a small control panel on his desk. Most of the buttons controlled cameras, doors, or Sladebots... but there was one button that Slade didn't actually think he'd have to press, especially once Red X had killed the Titans.

But the Titans were alive, and Slade's leverage had escaped... there was only one thing for Slade to do.

O-O-O

Back out in the hallway, Robin, Sanza, and Starfire stood a few feet away from the door, crouched into fighting positions. They were waiting for the perfect chance to strike... Slade had to come out of his office sometime. There was no way out.

And just a few seconds later, the door slid open. The man all three teenagers had been waiting for finally made his reappearance... a lot sooner than any of them had thought.

"Goodbye, Titans," said Slade, taking one last look at Sanza. "And as for you... we'll be seeing each other very soon."

An enormous explosion suddenly rocked the hallway, throwing Sanza, Robin, and Starfire to their knees. The noise was followed by a quiet rumbling from beneath... something had happened, and Robin knew it wasn't something good.

"This building's only got a short time left," said Slade, leaping over Sanza's head and dashing toward the elevator leading back down to the central room. "You three had better hurry..."

"I do not think so!" shouted Starfire, turning around and showering Slade with Starbolts. The Starbolts flew into Slade and created an enormous explosion, filling the entire width of the hallway. Starfire flew into the resulting dust cloud as a stunned Robin and Sanza watched in disbelief.

"Starfire, be careful!" shouted Robin, running toward the dust cloud just as he saw Starfire disappear into it. Sanza stood up a second later, picking up his Red X mask and placing it back on as he ran into the cloud.

__

"Gotta protect my wounds from that dust... mom's already going to have a heart attack seeing me with these cuts, she doesn't want to have to see me with gangrene too..."

The Starbolts had stopped Slade, who was knocked to one knee by the force of the blast. Before he could stand, Starfire was right on top of him, her leg slamming into his back and knocking him forward.

"You will not be hurting Sanza or his family anymore!" shouted Starfire, preparing to fire another series of Starbolts as Slade stood up to face her. Both she and Slade were obscured from Robin and Red X's view by the dust cloud, a fact that Slade realized he could use to his advantage.

"You're wasting my time!" shouted Slade. _"Maybe I should start wasting some of theirs..."_

Slade ran at Starfire, but as soon as she'd fired a Starbolt at him, he seemed to disappear into nothingness. She whipped herself around, thinking Slade had gone behind her... when really, he'd just leapt into the air faster than Starfire could see. Before she could turn back around, Slade had struck her in the back of the head with a perfectly-aimed kick, knocking her unconscious.

Robin and Red X ran into the thick cloud of dust and debris, Robin coughing as some of the specks of dust began entering his lungs.

"You ever consider getting a mask that covered your mouth?" asked Red X, looking over at Robin as the two ran through the fog. "You wouldn't believe how many times this thing has helped me out."

Ignoring Red X's comment, Robin ran through the dust, getting more and more worried as it began to dissipate with no sign of either Starfire or Slade.

"Starfire!" shouted Robin, coughing as more dust flew into his mouth. "Starfire? Star..."

Robin could no longer stand the thick dust, and he fell onto one knee, coughing and sputtering to remove the excess debris from his lungs. As he coughed, he continued to look up, his eyes widening in horror as the cloud finally disappeared. The hall was wide open... but there was no sign of Starfire, and the rumbling from below was getting louder and louder.

"Where is she?" shouted Red X, looking in both directions down the hallway. "Did she follow him down the elevator?"

"I don't think so," said Robin, frantically taking one last look down the hall to make sure Starfire hadn't been knocked unconscious and was hurt on the floor. Wherever she was, she definitely wasn't in the hallway anymore... "Dammit... what if Slade..."

"C'mon, Robin," replied Red X, running toward the elevator. What he'd told Robin a few days ago about showing his affection was starting to ring eerily true... if Slade realized how Robin felt about Starfire, then... "...he wouldn't. He couldn't..."

__

"He did," thought Robin, blazing past Red X and running into the elevator at the end of the hallway. "Starfire's in serious trouble!"

X got into the elevator with Robin just as the door closed... and the hallway behind them began filling up with debris. The Tekita Refinery was slowly beginning to collapse... and Starfire was nowhere to be found.

O-O-O

The main boiler room of the refinery was a small, dark, almost cylindrical chamber near the center of the complex. A long, steel platform extended from the entrance to the center of the room, where an enormous furnace machine heated an enormous amount of water to supply electricity to a large part of the factory. Just above the platform was a large, steel pipe from which several chains dangled downward, normally used to hang tools from the boiler for easy access whenever work needed to be done.

In the refinery's critical state, steam shot out from several parts of the boiler, and the ground underneath was a swirling torrent of flames, as explosions rocked the building under the room.

The door opened, and Slade ran across the steel platform, holding the still-unconscious Tamaranian girl in his arms. He hoisted her up to the pipe and began wrapping chains around her wrists to hold her in place. After wrapping a length of chain tightly around Starfire's ankles, he used two of the heavy industrial chains apiece to tie around Starfire's arms, hanging her up from the pipe. As he finished tying the last of the chains, Starfire's eyes slowly began to open.

"By the time Robin finds you, it will be too late for you both," said Slade, his hand brushing through Starfire's hair. "You're just a distraction to him... a fatal distraction, in this case."

A loud explosion from underneath shook the entire platform, nearly knocking Slade off his feet. By now, Starfire had regained her senses, and she began furiously struggling at the chains holding her arms.

"This was a dirty trick, Slade!" shouted Starfire, staring angrily into Slade's eyes. Her own eyes were beginning to glow, and it was quite clear that Starfire wasn't happy with her predicament. "Robin will-"

"Of course he will come for you," Slade replied. "I saw how close the two of you were before Robin and I left for the underworld. Don't think I don't know exactly how to exploit the weaknesses of my opponents. Two birds with one stone... enjoy being the reason Robin burns to ashes."

Slade turned around and began walking back down the platform, toward the door leading to the boiler room exit. Immediately, Starfire's struggles intensified, even as she heard another loud explosion directly beneath her body. She looked down to see a jet of flame shooting up from the ground below, engulfing the bottom of the boiler she'd been attached to.

__

"If Robin gets here... the room will explode... with both of us inside!" thought Starfire, her arms tugging desperately at the heavy chains. _"This is why Robin does not wish to reveal his feelings... he knew... he knew that Slade would..."_

As Slade opened the boiler room door, he took one last look behind him, expecting to see Starfire still struggling to escape as the flames overtaking the boiler shot higher and higher.

Instead, he saw a Starbolt headed straight for his face. The force of the Starbolt threw him against the wall just outside, and when he looked up again, he saw Starfire, broken chains hanging off her arms, and her eyes aglow with bright green.

"Yaaaaaaaah!" screamed Starfire, her fist slamming into Slade's face. The attack shot his head back into the wall, where it made a large, circular hole on impact. "It is people like YOU that are the reason Robin and I cannot express our true feelings for one another!"

Before Slade could raise his head, Starfire's fist slammed into him again, pounding his head back even further into the wall.

"Well, let me tell you this... the next time you use the friendship that Robin and I share in order to hurt one of us... you will be TRULY SORRY!"

Seizing his chance, Slade stood up and slammed both of his hands into Starfire's chest, knocking her back into the boiler room. Before she could stand, Slade quickly closed the door and locked it behind him, triggering the emergency lock placed outside to seal the door shut.

"There won't be a next time..." said Slade, looking at Starfire through the small, circular window in the boiler room door, "because there won't be a you and Robin!"

Slade dashed off down the hallway, leaving Starfire frantically bombarding the door with Starbolts in an attempt to force it open. The boiler she'd just been chained to was now glowing bright red, and steam was shooting out from numerous places on its surface, as the entire room prepared to reach critical mass.

__

"I must get out and let Robin see that I am undamaged!" thought Starfire, slamming her fists repeatedly into the door. _"And before I am destroyed along with this room..."_

O-O-O

The elevator took Robin and Red X back down to the circular room, which had also begun to feel some of the effects from the explosion... several of the elevator tubes were cracked or shattered, and one of the lifts was completely destroyed. The two stepped out into the center of the room, only to come to a horrible realization... neither of them had any clue where Slade might've taken Starfire.

"The building's about to collapse!" Red X shouted. "If we're going to find her..."

"We ARE going to find her!" Robin replied, starting to run into one of the elevators, unsure about where it went but knowing that if he was going to find Starfire, he'd have to take chances... even if the building he was in could fall apart at any moment. "You coming, or-"

Another of the elevators could be seen coming up its shaft... Robin and Red X turned to the elevator, both of them gasping when they realized who was inside. It was Slade, but Starfire wasn't with him. He stepped out of the elevator and into the center of the room, and both Robin and X stepped up to face him.

"Where is she?" shouted Robin, his voice filled with anger. He extended his bo staff and pointed it at Slade's head.

"You'd better hurry," Slade replied, dashing toward the elevator that led back to the main lobby of the building. "She's in the boiler room, a few rooms down from the elevator I just came from. But if you want to save her... you'll have to let me go."

"That's not happening!" shouted Red X, pointing his palms at Slade as he entered the elevator. Another loud explosion sounded, and the entire room shook violently. _"Dammit... I've gotta kill this guy for what he did to my family... but if I don't let him go, Starfire could-"_

Meanwhile, Robin had already gotten into the elevator leading to the boiler room. As much as he hated letting Slade go, he hated Starfire being in danger even more... if he didn't get to her quickly, it might be too late...

"X, come on!" shouted Robin, gesturing at Red X to follow him into the boiler room elevator. "Starfire's in trouble, she-"

X turned his attention back to Slade, whose elevator was already making its way back down to the main lobby. He clenched his fists, leaping out of the way of a piece of debris that had just fallen down from the ceiling. The rumbling beneath him was loud enough to nearly drown out Robin's voice... the building would be gone in minutes, and with it would be Starfire, probably helpless and afraid in the boiler room, trapped and knowing that no one was coming to help her...

__

"There are two of you..." thought Red X, suddenly looking toward an entirely different elevator... the one he'd entered from when he was working for Sorel. It would take him down to the main garage... where he could run outside and back into the building, hopefully cutting Slade off at the pass. "Robin, go help Starfire, she needs you!"

"What are you doing?" Robin shouted, not wanting to head down to the boiler room without Red X. "Starfire is-"

"I can get to Slade!" shouted Red X, running into the elevator and pressing the button to go back down to the garage. "You help Starfire, _you're _the one she cares about!"

As much as it hurt to let Robin get all the glory for rescuing Starfire, Red X knew that Slade couldn't just be allowed to escape... he had no chance with Starfire, and he knew it. Robin would just have to be the one to save her this time... Slade had to be made to pay for his sins.

"I'll see you down below," said Red X, as the elevator slowly disappeared from the crumbling central room. "Don't you DARE let Starfire die."

__

"Don't worry..." thought Robin, as the elevator carried him down to the boiler room hallway. _"I won't..."_

O-O-O

Though the window in the boiler room was transparent, the material it was made of was just as durable as the metallic door, and Starfire's punches and kicks did nothing to weaken its structural integrity. Even her Starbolts couldn't blast open the door, and the platform she was standing on began creaking and moaning as the heat slowly bent its metallic frame.

__

"This is hopeless..." thought Starfire, staring through the window. _"Robin will come, and both of us will die here..."_

She looked back to see the flames now lapping at the tip of the platform. She knew that once the boiler exploded, the entire room would fill with flames... it would become so hot that even she wouldn't be able to stand it.

"I must escape!" shouted Starfire, her fist repeatedly slamming into the window. "If Robin comes here, both of us will be-"

The loud shattering noise seemed like music to Starfire's ears. She'd finally managed to punch through the window, and though the sharp glass-like material slashed her arm as she punched through, she now knew that she had an opening she could use... she reached both hands through the shattered window and lifted her body into the air, pressing her feet against the door as she pulled at the frame through the window.

__

"If I can apply just enough pressure, I can wrench the door free..."

It was then that the platform she had been standing on fell away, its metal frame instantly melting into the flames underneath. The boiler was bright red, its hot white steam filling the entire room. Starfire had just seconds to escape... she tugged at the door with all her might, her eyes closing as she felt the steam sear her back...

__

"Just a bit more..."

Robin dashed through the hall, ignoring the rumbling of the building and the debris from the ceiling that fell on him from below. The boiler room was just a few yards away... he ran as quickly as his legs could carry him, ignoring the pain that his fatigue made all too clear.

"Starfire, I'm coming!"

It was all his fault... he never should've gotten so close to Starfire, never should have allowed Slade to witness his affection for her... he had to protect her, and when he let his guard up for just a moment...

When he reached a corner, he knew that he only needed to make one more turn. The boiler room would be the next door on his right... but he never made it that far. A loud, violent explosion shook the entire hallway, sending a huge wall of steam out in all directions. The force of the blast knocked Robin to the ground on his back, and he was helpless as he looked up at the ceiling and saw a jet of fire shoot outward, above his head. He quickly closed his eyes to protect them from the flames... but felt nothing. Through the sound of the flames, however, he could hear a scream... then, a few strained words, the sound just above his head.

"Robin... are you... all right?"

He immediately recognized the voice... and when he opened his eyes, he could see Starfire's face staring down at him, her worried frown changing into a joyful smile as he slowly picked himself up from the ground. Before he could speak, Starfire's arms were around him, crushing his own arms to his sides. Behind Starfire, an enormous, burned-out hole in the structure of the factory, where the exploding boiler had taken out its own containment room, as well as several rooms around it and below. The hall in front of Robin and the hall behind him were scorched, but still intact.

He said nothing to Starfire, only smiling as her arms gently wrapped around his back. She had learned to control her powers so she could hug people without breaking their bones, but Starfire's embrace was still tighter than most, though he didn't feel an ounce of pain as her gentle hands caressed his cape.

"Starfire... I thought..."

"Slade took me, yes, but... I escaped so that I could find you... I was so worried, I did not know if..."

Starfire could no longer bring herself to speak, and she could feel a tear start to trickle down the side of her face. After wiping the tear away, she continued.

"Robin, if you had made it to the boiler room, we both would have been..."

Another violent explosion interrupted Starfire, breaking her and Robin out of their hug and nearly sending both of them falling into the large hole behind them. They quickly stepped away from the huge rupture in the building, turning back around and running toward the elevator at the end of the hall.

"We can get out this way, the elevator should still be-"

But Robin's voice quickly trailed off when he saw the shaft where the elevator used to be. In the force of the explosions, it had fallen down the shaft... broken and useless, in a crumpled heap at the bottom.

"That is all right," said Starfire, grabbing Robin by the waist. "I can float down, remem-"

Another loud rumbling noise accompanied an enormous pile of debris that plummeted down the elevator shaft, filling it nearly to capacity and blocking off the entire shaft.

Not wasting a moment, Starfire floated with Robin down toward the other end of the hallway, toward the smoldering hole that the boiler had made when it exploded.

"Certainly one of these rooms must lead to the way out," she said, floating into the hole and scanning the various hallways. She floated downward as low as she could, into a long, wide hallway filled with debris. "This must lead to an exit!"

She set Robin down, and together the two ran down the hallway as the building began collapsing around them. Just a few seconds after Robin and Starfire had begun running, the hole created by the boiler rapidly filled up with debris... the central tower had begun collapsing into the rest of the building, which was unable to support its incredible weight.

__

"We'd better get out of here soon..." thought Robin, shooting a worried glance at Starfire. _"If we don't... we're both going to get buried alive!"_

O-O-O

Slade casually walked into the front lobby of the refinery. He'd heard the boiler explode, and knew by now that Robin and Starfire had to be dead. Red X most likely used another escape route... there was no way that the coward would stick his neck out for someone, even for Starfire.

"The Titans are in shambles, and my apprentice has been taught a valuable lesson," said Slade to himself as he walked out into the lobby. He looked over to the main door... and received the shock of his life.

His apprentice, the 'coward' Red X, was standing in the doorway, blocking his exit. His arms were across his chest.

"And that lesson is?" said Red X, confidence once again entering his voice. "If Robin and Starfire die, you're dying right along with them. Actually, you're going to die anyway... I'll make sure of that."

Slade was surprised, but mostly unfazed... after all, Red X was still a weakened opponent... and Slade was confident that X wasn't nearly as brave as he was pretending to be. But when another explosion sounded, and Red X didn't budge... Slade knew that the young man would need some convincing.

"I'm giving you the chance to live," said Slade, standing a few feet in front of Red X and waiting for him to move. "This building collapses, and anyone within fifty feet of it will be crushed by the debris."

"Then you'd better find another way out," said Red X, unintimidated. "Because I'm not moving."

Red X had no intention of sacrificing himself to kill Slade... he just hoped that Slade would be caught in the collapse, and that he could somehow escape. If he ran at just the right moment...

"Neither am I," said Slade, seeing Red X's legs tremble slightly. "You're quite noble, but I think that when push comes to shove, you'll see things my way."

"Why don't you come at me?" Red X shouted, trying to get Slade to make the first move. _"If he attacks, maybe I can pin him to the floor... what am I thinking? If I let Slade go, my family will _never _be safe... but if Slade and I die here... no, I don't want to die! But... my family..."_

Another explosion, even louder than the previous one. An incredible crash as the central tower began caving in on itself, sending a wave of debris bursting forward into the bottom part of the building. A violent quake that nearly brought the trembling Red X to the ground... and then, Slade made his move.

He lunged forward, his fist slamming hard into Red X's stomach. Red X collapsed, and Slade grabbed him by the collar and threw him back into the lobby before dashing off into the night.

"As I said, I'll be seeing you shortly!" Slade yelled as he ran. "You'd better hurry..."

Red X stood up, groaning in pain as he clutched his stomach. He could taste blood pooling in his mouth, but he didn't care... the building was about to collapse, and if he got caught up in it, he'd be killed for sure...

Robin and Starfire hadn't made it out... Red X wasn't sure if they were even still alive. He looked back, seeing both the right and left hallways still intact, but both starting to crumble as debris piled up on top of them.

__

"No..." thought Red X, turning back toward the front door. _"If they want out, they can escape by themselves, just like I did..."_

O-O-O

Neither Robin nor Starfire were really sure where they were going... but both of them knew where they _weren't _going, and that was back... back toward the loud, horrible sound of the building they were in collapsing behind them... and the wall of debris filling the enormous hall.

"In here!" shouted Robin, pointing toward a small, white door in front of them. Starfire nodded, and the two ran into the door at the back of the hallway, opening and closing it behind them.

The room appeared to be a small storage room, its walls made of solid metal, and several empty shelves in front of Robin and Starfire as they stepped inside... but it was also a dead end. The door behind them, their entrance and now their only exit, became blocked as soon as it was closed, as debris filled in the entire hallway behind it. Robin tried opening the door, but Starfire quickly stopped him, pulling him back into the room and pointing at the glass window taking up most of the top half of the door.

"Robin..." said Starfire, her trembling finger pointing at the window. "We are trapped..."

Another explosion shook the room, but it remained intact... only a few pieces of dust that had been hanging on the metallic ceiling fell down to the floor. The lights in the room flicked on and off... Robin and Starfire were trapped.

"There's gotta be another way out..." said Robin, looking up at the ceiling. "A ventilation shaft... anything!"

No ventilation shaft... no escape. The storage room, it seemed... was about to become Robin and Starfire's tomb.

"Robin, maybe I can... maybe I can use my Starbolts to-"

Robin shook his head.

"You'd be doing the same thing that I would've done if I'd have opened the door... just letting the debris from outside in here... we'd both be crushed..."

"But there has to be _some _way out of here, Robin!" Starfire shouted, her voice filled with hope... and fear as well. "Please, just-"

"Let me think..." Robin snapped, his mind racing for a way to escape. He'd been trapped in situations like this before... there was always a way out... _"If only Starfire hadn't been taken... then both of us would be out of here... it's my fault, it's all my fault..."_

He never should've let himself be so open with Starfire... _that _was why he'd been so uncomfortable to call her his girlfriend... and now, because of him, both he and Starfire were trapped.

Another explosion... more dust falling into the room... and an ominous creaking noise from above. The entire building was about to come down right where Robin and Starfire were standing.

"Robin..." said Starfire, turning to Robin and taking his hands in hers. She knew that he was still trying to think of a way for the two of them to escape the room... but she also knew that what she was about to say to Robin, she might never get another chance to say. "Please... it is my fault that both of us are here... if I had not been-"

"Starfire, no..." said Robin, the creaking in the ceiling of the room getting louder and louder. "It's not..."

"Yes it is," she replied, turning away from Robin, too ashamed to look him in the face. "If I had not been so... so... eager to be your girlfriend, then... Slade would not have seen us together and-"

She was right... it was Starfire who had forced a lot of Robin's feelings to the surface... and he only revealed them because he knew it would hurt her if he didn't. But look what had happened... both of them trapped, about to be crushed... exactly what Robin was afraid would happen.

"Starfire, the reason I couldn't say how I felt about you is..."

"Because I was not strong enough to protect myself?" said Starfire, turning to face Robin.

"No, Starfire... because I didn't think I was strong enough to protect you... anyone who hurt you is more than strong enough to hurt me, and if something happened to you, I... I wasn't sure that I could-"

"Robin, no matter what happens to me... it will not change the way I feel about you... do not be afraid for me, I know that you will protect me... and I promise to always protect you... you do not have to hide how you feel to protect me, Robin!"

__

"I thought she'd say something like that..." Robin knew that Starfire was strong... but if something ever happened to her... like it just had...

Starfire continued staring at Robin, waiting for him to reply. He stared back at her, searching for something to say... the room was just seconds from collapsing now, and instead of speaking, Robin found himself moving toward Starfire, his face leaning toward hers... his arms wrapped around Starfire's back, and her arms tightened around him as well.

"Robin, if you do not wish to see me hurt... if you truly do not wish for me to be your girlfriend, then just say so... I will understand..."

"But Starfire... I..."

An X-shaped hole appeared in the back wall of the room. Robin and Starfire immediately released one another, looking at the hole to see Red X gesturing to both of them.

"This place is going to be a pile of rubble in just a few seconds! Let's get the hell out of here!"

Without a moment's hesitation, Robin and Starfire ran out of the room, following Red X as he dashed down a rapidly collapsing hallway. The entire building was shaking violently, and as soon as Robin and Starfire left the storage room, the room above collapsed into it, followed by the top floors of the tower falling off the top of the structure and plummeting into the factory area of the building.

"HURRY!" shouted Red X, running out into the front lobby. Starfire was the next to emerge, but Robin was lagging behind by several steps, having been hit in the leg by a piece of the ceiling as he ran down the hall.

"Robin!" shouted Starfire, turning back toward Robin, who disappeared into a dust cloud as the hallway leading into the lobby completely collapsed. "NO!"

Starfire leapt into the dust cloud, firing Starbolts at whatever she could, trying to clear a path for Robin out of the growing pile of debris.

"Starfire, what are you doing?" shouted Red X, unable to turn away until he was sure Starfire was safe. _"Dammit, Star... I'm not leaving without you..."_

Suddenly, both Starfire and Robin flew out of the collapsed hallway, landing on their faces, both of them covered with brown dust.

"Starfire..." Robin coughed, limping to his feet. "Are you..."

"We have to go!" shouted Starfire, standing up and grabbing Robin by the hand. Before Red X could move, Starfire grabbed his hand with her other hand, flying out of the building and up into the air, giving all three of them the perfect view as the Tekita Refinery collapsed into a pile of rubble.

The enormous central tower caved in on itself completely, creating a huge, disc-shaped wave as the rest of the factory fell apart, creating a huge cloud of dust, smoke, and flames that shot high up into the late-afternoon sky.

Starfire set Robin and Red X down at the back of the parking lot before floating down next to them, a relieved sigh escaping her lips.

"Are both of you-"

"We're fine," said Red X, rubbing the back of his head. Robin looked back at the huge cloud of debris and dust that was once the Tekita Refinery.

"Guess I'll have to get a new T-Cycle..." Robin sighed, though clearly the important thing was that everyone was safe... especially Starfire. _"I can make a new T-Cycle in a few days... but there'll never be anyone else like Starfire..."_

"Actually," said Red X, pointing to a spot just a few parking spaces away, where Robin's T-Cycle was sitting, without a scratch, "I took the liberty of moving it back a bit..."

"...how did you-"

"I'm a thief, remember?" said Red X proudly. "If I hadn't had to come back and stop Slade from leaving, I'd have taken it back to my house."

__

Slade... he was still out there, free to terrorize Red X and his family... as well as everyone else in Jump City. Slade's headquarters had been destroyed, but Slade could easily find a new place to hide... and now, even Red X didn't know where it was. Back to square one, it seemed.

Robin and Starfire stared at each other for several seconds, neither of them really sure of what to say to one another. Starfire's words still echoed in Robin's mind... _you do not have to hide how you feel... _still, Robin felt like he couldn't quite show his full affection for Starfire, no matter how much she wanted him to.

But he found himself embracing her again... after everything he and Starfire had been through, he had to do something... and it felt so good just to have Starfire's arms around him.

"Look, you two are probably busy here," said Red X, his hand lifting to his face. Robin and Starfire stopped hugging and turned to him, Robin's hand still around Starfire's waist as the two of them faced Red X. "But... I need to say something."

The thief removed his mask... whatever he had to say, it was Sanza who had to say it. Sanza was the one whose family had just been saved, after all.

"Thank you..." said Sanza, as humbly as he could. He never thought he could feel this kind of gratitude for the Teen Titans, especially after they'd been the ones to save his family and not him... but his time would come. Defeating Slade and putting him away once and for all would be the ultimate way to protect his family. But now, he had to give credit where it was due. "Thank you for saving Maddy and my mother. If it hadn't been for you-"

"You made it possible, Sanza," Robin replied. "You were the one who kept Slade distracted... you put your life on the line and gave us more than enough time to save your family."

The cuts on Sanza's face were a clear testament to the incredible battle he'd had to endure. And even though he'd taken the brunt of the beating, he knew that Slade had had to endure as well. He'd given Slade a fight... a hell of a fight.

"Robin is correct... you-"

"No. You... all of you... you found them, and you freed them. All I did was nearly kill the five of you, and nearly get myself killed," said Sanza, turning away from Robin and Starfire and heading out of the parking lot. "And now I'm going home to be with my family."

"...don't you want to come back to the tower?" asked Robin. Sanza shook his head.

"I need to be with Maddy and my mother... but tomorrow... tomorrow we're going to find Slade, and we're going to end this once and for all. No more training, no more bullshit teamwork exercises... you're the smart one, you figure out a plan for us. Tomorrow... Slade goes down for good."

O-O-O

After putting his costume back under the bed in his room, Sanza ran down the fire escape to the second floor of the apartment... he wanted to come in the front door this time, so his family could actually see him as soon as he came in.

When he opened the door, Maddy and Maria, who had been at the kitchen table with a box of Kleenex, immediately looked up. When they saw Sanza, both of them stood up and ran over to him, hugging him at the same time.

"Sanza," said Maria, her next few words a loving sequence of hasty Spanish until she could no longer compose herself enough to speak. She wiped at her eyes, her arms still wrapped tightly around both her son and daughter, thankful that both of them were safe. The wounds on Sanza's face were inconsequential... he was safe, he was alive, and he was home...

"Sanza, what happened to you..." sobbed Maddy, her face rubbing into his chest. "Slade... did he... did he..."

"Robin and Starfire saved me..." said Sanza, who found that even he could barely keep the tears from coming to his eyes.

__

"Just like they said they would..." thought Maria, sniffling as she released Sanza and walked back over to the kitchen table to grab a Kleenex. Maddy continued to hug Sanza, her arms tight around his back. "I'm so... so glad you're safe..."

"I'm sorry..." said Sanza, looking up at Maria as Maddy continued to hug him. "It's my fault you've both been attacked... because I... because I..."

This was it... Sanza had to tell them both... the secret that had endangered their lives... he didn't know how they'd take the news, but...

"It's all right... Robin told us everything... he and Starfire said... said you saved her life... that's why Slade was mad at you... that's why he came after us..."

A quizzical look appeared on Sanza's face. They hadn't told his mother and daughter that he was Red X... only that Sanza had saved Starfire's life. But could he really keep lying to his family?

He had to... just for a little longer.

"The night... the night of the prom," Sanza began, pulling away from Maddy and sitting down at the kitchen table, "Slade had kidnapped Starfire, and as I was leaving the prom, he forced me into an alley. There, he placed Starfire in the trunk of the car and told me to drive to a specific location..."

Sanza continued telling the fabricated story, about how he knew he had to return Starfire to Titans Tower, but on the way home, Slade had beaten him to within an inch of his life. The lie was painful to both Maria and Maddy, but it was a lot less painful to them than telling them the truth... that Sanza was nothing more than a common thief.

After the story, the three continued to talk in the kitchen for nearly an hour... they were alive, they were free... but were they safe?

Sanza knew that as long as Slade was alive, his family could never be safe.

That night, up in his room, Sanza continued to think... where could Slade possibly be? And how would he and the Titans find him, let alone stop him?

__

"Tomorrow..." thought Sanza, staring straight up at the ceiling of his room. His eyes began to close, and he knew his weary body would finally be able to rest. _"Tomorrow, Slade... you're history..."_

Just as Sanza started to fall asleep, the door of his room creaked open. He wearily sat up, and in the darkness, could see his younger sister Maddy slowly walking into the room.

"Maddy?" groaned Sanza, tiredly looking over at the clock on his desk. "It's-"

"It's eight-thirty," replied Maddy. "Why are you already going to sleep?"

Sanza knew exactly why. He'd fought Slade, he'd fought the Teen Titans, he'd barely escaped from a giant, collapsing building... it'd be like if somebody fought Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson, Triple H, and Batista all in a row, and then went to work for one of New York's fire companies on 9/11. A day like that would tire _anybody _out.

"Sanza... when I was in that dark room... I kept thinking that instead of the Teen Titans, I'd see you coming through that door to save me..."

Sanza wished it had been him... he'd been the reason Maddy had been kidnapped... he should've been the one to save her. He'd been able to see her, sobbing and trembling along with his mother... it looked so close on those monitors, but the two of them couldn't have been any farther away, in the bowels of the building... while they were being saved by the Teen Titans, Sanza was getting his ass kicked by Slade. _It should've been me saving her..._

"I'm sorry, Maddy..." said Sanza, getting up from the bed and walking over to her. "If there's anything I can do to-"

Maddy shook her head, a wide smile on her face.

"You don't have to do anything, Sanza... except maybe take me out for ice cream tomorrow!"

__

"Tomorrow... tomorrow I'm supposed to... after that," thought Sanza. _"After I beat Slade... _sure, Maddy... we'll go tomorrow night, okay?"

"Thank you, Sanza!" shouted Maddy, wrapping her arms around Sanza's back.

__

"Damn, now I know why they taped your mouth shut..." Sanza thought. Maddy's voice was loud enough to easily fill the entire room. "I'd better get to sleep..."

Sanza turned around and climbed back into bed, looking up and watching Maddy as she left the room.

"Night night, Sanza..." Maddy whispered, gently shutting the door behind her as she left. The sound of the door clicking was the last thing Sanza heard before he finally fell asleep.

__

"Good night, Maddy..."

O-O-O

Red X walked into Titans Tower the next afternoon, his wounds patched and his body feeling invigorated. Today was the day... today, Slade would be history.

"We know exactly where he is," said Robin, pointing at a map of the Jump City area that was projected onto the large television screen in the front room of Titans Tower. "Mt. Cappalani, just outside of town... where he's built a small base to carry out operations in case he couldn't work within the city."

"...did you put a tracer on him or something?" asked Red X.

"This is where his base was when he tried to set a giant forest fire to burn the towns around Jump City," said Raven, "and we went out and investigated that area last night. He's there."

"We also have a way to stop him," said Robin. A picture of a metallic canister appeared on the screen. The top and bottom of the canister were glowing red. "Cyborg?"

"This is a concentrated Xynothium bomb," said Cyborg, "which, if detonated in close proximity to Slade, will provide more than enough energy to penetrate his armor and-"

"Kill him," Red X finished, clenching his fists. "I thought the Teen Titans didn't kill."

Starfire turned away from Red X, a slightly sad look on her face. It was Robin who was the first to speak.

"Slade... would break out of any prison we put him in," said Robin. "The only way to stop him for good is-"

"I understand," replied Red X. _"Besides, I'd have killed him anyway... _wait a minute... Xynothium bomb?"

Red X looked down at the glowing reactor built into his suit. Would it have to be used in the construction of the bomb? If it did, then...

"That will not work," said Starfire, shaking her head. "We need something with even more Xynothium energy than that..."

"But this is... this is a limitless supply!" replied Red X, pointing at the reactor.

"But the energy output doesn't match that of a large amount of raw Xynothium," said Robin, "which is why you can't use the reactor to teleport."

__

"Raw Xynothium would be nice, but I can't keep going on Xynothium runs all the time..." thought Red X. _"If I wanted raw Xynothium, I could just..."_

"...so we're going to need a bunch of raw Xynothium to fuel this thing?" asked Beast Boy, realizing the dilemma with Robin's plan. "Dr. Chang left town, where are we going to-"

"I know _exactly _where we're going to get it," replied Red X, turning away from the Titans and walking toward the entrance to the Tower. "I'll be back."

O-O-O

The final preparations are being made... but Robin's planned Xynothium bomb needs a source. But what is this mysterious source Red X is speaking of? If anyone knows how to get Xynothium, it's Red X... but can he get it before Slade makes another attempt to regain Red X as an apprentice? It's a race against time as the story draws nearer to its epic conclusion...


	20. Chinatown

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Teen Titans. If I did, this would be on TV and not here.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This doesn't take place in the same storyline as my "Forced Base" and "Fractured Heart" stories, so forget those when you're reading this. Also, this takes place after the fourth season, so anything that happens in the show after that isn't applicable to this. Also, about Sanza/Red X: When he's wearing the mask, he's Red X. When he's not, he's Sanza. Simple as that.

O-O-O

__

Jump City's Chinatown district... a vibrant area filled with dozens of shops, booths, and restaurants. Hundreds of people walked the streets, many of them simply tourists who were there to find a bargain or admire the colorful decorations that lined the buildings.

Maria Salazar and her two children entered one of the stores, a small curio shop on the north side of Chinatown. Sanza just wanted to grab a quick bite to eat... he didn't expect that his mother would want to go shopping around, and he'd been shuffled in and out of stores for nearly two hours. Though he did get a few interesting ideas for things he would steal if he ever dropped around Chinatown as Red X, most of the trip had been horrendously boring, and he just wanted to get home to watch television.

A quiet chime sounded out as the door to the shop opened. Maria, Sanza, and Maddy stepped inside, and the fragrant aroma of incense greeted them at the door. Behind the counter was a tall, pale, slender old man with a thin mustache, wearing a decorative purple and white robe. Though the man's outfit was different from the last time Sanza had seen him, he was immediately recognizable...

"Hello," said the man, feigning a friendly smile as he looked over at the family from across the counter. Sanza's eyes locked with his, his gaze fixated on the man's face.

"Your shop is lovely," said Maria, walking over to a small shelf by the window and looking at a delicate selection of porcelain swans laid out in a beautiful display. Maddy followed her, her hand reaching down to pick up one of the swans.

"You shouldn't touch that!" shouted the man, glaring over at Maddy... "unless you have the money to pay for it."

Maddy shot the man an angry look, then turned back to Maria, a sad look on her face.

"That guy yelled at me, mommy!" Maddy shouted, grabbing onto her mother's sleeve. While this exchange was going on, Sanza was slowly walking toward a display of lava lamps toward the back of the store. The lamps were adorned with gold plating, and red globules of liquid were floating around inside of them, giving the back of the shop an eerie, red glow.

"$50,000 for a lava lamp?" thought Sanza to himself, looking once more at the man behind the counter. "So Chang's resumed his Xynothium smuggling operation... I should've guessed he'd be at it again."

"I certainly don't think you can afford any of those lamps, little boy," said Chang.

"For your information," said Sanza, turning back toward the counter with a frown on his face, "I'm sixteen. And I'm not going to touch any of them."

"See that you don't," replied Chang, continuing to watch Sanza even as he walked away from the glowing shelf. "I know your people have a reputation for that sort of thing..."

The remark, which barely fazed Sanza as he walked back toward the rest of the shop, immediately caught Maria's attention. Feeling rage quickly swell up in her body, she turned around and stormed over to the counter, pointing her finger right in Chang's face.

"You take that back!" she snapped, deeply offended by the racially-charged remark. Sanza rolled his eyes, knowing that his mother couldn't be stopped when she was having one of 'these' kinds of moments. He stood behind her, all the while glancing at the display of lava lamps by the back wall.

"I am sorry if I have offended you," said Chang, sarcasm clearly evident in his voice.

"I've had to put up with comments like that my entire life, but for you to insult my son in that manner..."

"I have every right to be suspicious. Your son was-"

"My son is a good boy!" said Maria, turning to Sanza and pointing toward the door. "Come on, Sanza, we're leaving."

Maria and Sanza walked over to the door. Maddy, still looking at the beautiful swans on the window shelf, was holding one in her hand when her mother called to her.

"Mom, can I buy-"

"We're not buying anything from here, ever!" shouted Maria, shooting an angry glare back at Dr. Chang. "Let's go!"

Sighing dejectedly, Maddy set down the swan and exited the shop with her mother. Sanza, the last to leave, took one last angry glare at Dr. Chang before exiting the shop with his family.

"And none of you are welcome in here either!" shouted Chang, shaking his fist at the door as the Salazars exited his shop. "You touch too many of my things!"

O-O-O

Now, a month later, Sanza stood in front of the curio shop again... this time as Red X. The sign on the door read 'Closed', but that didn't deter Red X... in fact, it made him want to go in even more.

__

"All the better that it's closed," said Red X, walking over to the window and slapping an X over it, right in the center. _"I won't have to deal with that obnoxious doctor."_

The X widened into a hole large enough for the thief to step through. As soon as he did, the hole closed, the X dissolving into the window glass. Red X immediately ran over to the display of lava lamps at the back... only to see that all of them were completely gone.

__

"Either somebody bought them, or..."

A faint red glow could be detected from underneath the small crack in a door behind the counter. The door was marked with an 'Employees Only' sign, but again, X wasn't known as someone who obeyed signs. If he did, he wouldn't be the best thief in Jump City. He hopped behind the counter and pressed his ear to the door, listening for any sign of activity. A faint, muffled voice could be heard from some distance away... there was someone in that room, and Red X was going to find out who.

He placed his hand on the doorknob and transmitted a small electric shock through the inner workings of the lock. The door immediately opened, and X slowly crept inside, hearing the voice get louder and louder. Its aged, accented tone clearly alerted X to the room's occupant.

__

"So, Dr. Chang, we're about to meet again..." thought Red X, walking through a narrow brick hallway that led to another closed door. This door was unlocked, and X twisted the knob open, revealing the room beyond. Inside was Dr. Chang and about fifty of his glowing red lava lamps. The doctor was finishing up a phone call, and as soon as he'd put the phone down, Red X was standing right behind him. "Miss me?"

With a startled yelp, Dr. Chang turned around, stumbling back several steps, his eyes wide and scared.

"You... you traitorous little bastard!" shouted Dr. Chang, pointing a trembling finger at Red X's chest. "I had this city and the Teen Titans on their knees, and you... you _ruined _it for me!"

"I think you ruined it for yourself, Chang," Red X replied, "when you wouldn't share more of your precious Xynothium... and it looks like you've got quite a stash here."

"Forty-nine kilos to be exact," said Chang, speaking of the Xynothium as if it were some sort of drug. "Street value of-"

"Two million, four hundred and fifty thousand dollars," replied Red X. "My suit runs on the stuff, remember? I'd better know exactly how much it's worth."

A wiry smile appeared on Dr. Chang's face as he picked up one of the glowing lamps, stroking it sensually in his hands.

"You've got the Xynothium reactor... so what do you need my stuff for? Or did you just come here to harass a helpless old man?"

"I need raw Xynothium, Chang... and I figured that this was the best place to get it. You really, really shouldn't leave your operation so exposed like this... anyone coming into the store would know exactly what you were doing."

Dr. Chang set down the lamp on a small table in the center of the room. The glow from the substance illuminated Chang's face as he spoke, giving his eyes an eerie red tint. X wasn't afraid in the least... he'd take all the Xynothium in the room if he had to.

"I've already got a deal coming up with a contractor that wants to purchase all of my Xynothium... so unless you can come up with 2.4 million dollars, you're out of luck, kid."

Red X smiled under his mask. Had Chang really forgotten who he was dealing with? X would just have to remind him...

"I'm not here to buy," said Red X, his palm pointed at Dr. Chang's face. "I'm Red X, remember? I'm a thief... and I'm here to steal."

"Then you might just want to look down," said Dr. Chang, pointing at Red X's feet. "Look at what you're standing in."

X looked down to see that he was standing in a large puddle on the floor that looked suspiciously like blood... but X knew exactly what the puddle was. Raw, glowing Xynothium... morphing into long tendrils that wrapped around his legs and held him in place. The next thing that came from his mouth wasn't an arrogant taunt, but a loud scream as the Xynothium sent electricity coursing through his body, bringing the costumed thief to his knees. X looked up to see Dr. Chang standing over him, a large red mallet protruding from the sleeve of his robe.

"You didn't think I didn't save a bit of Xynothium for myself, did you? After seeing all it let you do, I couldn't let a miracle substance like this go to waste..."

Dr. Chang brought the mallet down on Red X's head, and the thief's world quickly went black.

O-O-O

While Robin, Starfire, Cyborg, and Beast Boy remained in the main room of the tower to wait for Red X's return, Raven had become bored of waiting and returned to her room. She, like the other Titans, was eager to finally be taking down Slade... but after that, what would become of Red X... what would become of Sanza? Without Slade, he wouldn't have a reason to ask the Titans for help... would he go back to being a thief, or would he ask to be allowed on the team?

He was certainly a formidable foe who took the Titans to the limit every time he fought against them... and he would make a powerful ally.

Raven walked over to her desk noticing the now empty spot where her magic mirror once rested. It had been given to her as a gift just before leaving Azarath and coming to Earth... it was the only way Raven could fully deal with her pent-up emotions... and now it was gone, probably lying somewhere in the rubble of Tekita Refinery. Broken, it was useless, so even if Slade had it, he wouldn't have been able to go into Raven's mind... but she still missed the opportunity to meditate with the rest of her emotions.

A long sigh escaped from Raven's lips as she walked back to her bed and sat down, staring at the floor. _I'll never see my mirror again... and it's his fault._

But was it really Red X's fault? Sure, he'd come into the tower and taken Raven's mirror, but on orders from Slade... for all she knew, Slade could've had Sanza's family at gunpoint at that very moment. She knew her emotions far to well to think that X had tried to steal her mirror on his own volition.

But the fact remained... he'd taken it, and he'd removed it from the tower. Red X was an incredibly proficient thief... if he could take the chip from the T-Car AND Raven's mirror, he could probably steal anything he wanted. Priceless art, national security secrets, dangerous weapons... Red X _could _steal these things, but... would Sanza?

__

"If the right motivation came along..." thought Raven. _"I don't know whether I want him on the team or not, but... if he does join us, he won't be tempted to steal... and his family will probably be in a lot less danger from extortionists."_

The door to Raven's room slid open.

__

"Is he back?" thought Raven, standing up and staring at the face who appeared on the other side of the door. "Oh. It's just Beast Boy."

The green superhero clearly had a worried look on his face, and whatever he wanted to discuss, he apparently wanted to discuss it with Raven. Normally, Raven would've shut the door in Beast Boy's face... but his worry and willingness to speak openly seemed genuine, and Raven decided to allow him in.

"What's wrong?" asked Raven, sitting back down on her bed as Beast Boy entered her room. "You worried about fighting Slade?"

Beast Boy shook his head. Clearly, something even more was troubling him... something that Beast Boy had begun thinking about as soon as he'd taken Red X to the Terra statue.

"Raven, I'm worried about Sanza," said Beast Boy, looking around the room for a chair to sit in. When he couldn't find one, he turned back to Raven, who had slid over to allow Beast Boy enough room to sit next to her on the bed. He walked over and sat down, his hands folded in his lap. "Terra and Sanza had a lot of things in common..."

Raven wasn't so sure of what Beast Boy was getting at.

"How so?" asked Raven, a quizzical look on her face. "They both had five letters in their name?"

A small chuckle escaped Beast Boy's lips... Raven's sarcasm, while sometimes hurtful, was often funny, at least to Beast Boy. He continued on.

"Both of them were recruited by Slade... both of them had a bad side..."

"That's where the similarities end," said Raven. "Terra was insecure about herself... about her own powers. Sanza, on the other hand, has quite an arrogant streak... and he wouldn't work for Slade unless his family was in danger. Terra worked for Slade because he helped her out. Terra was ruthless... she tried to kill all of us. Sanza didn't do that..."

"Even in the fight yesterday?" asked Beast Boy, remembering how intense the fight between X and the Titans at the refinery had been. He pointed to the small scar across Raven's cheek, which hadn't fully healed after having been cut by X's wrist blade. Raven stroked her hand across the scar, remembering how painful the cut had been at the time.

"He doesn't hate us..."

"Neither did Terra," replied Beast Boy, his expression becoming sadder with every word he spoke. "She... sacrificed herself for us... that's why I'm worried about Sanza. Sanza's so determined to take out Slade... what if he... what if something happens to-"

"Sanza's going to be fine," said Raven. "The bomb's a remote detonation device anyway, and besides, I'd be more worried about Robin... he'll be the one handling the bomb when we go to Slade's headquarters."

But Beast Boy still wasn't so sure... and every time he thought of Terra, he felt as if he wanted to cry, his mind still stinging from the terrible memory of her self-sacrifice.

"I... I think I loved her, Raven..." said Beast Boy, looking up into Raven's eyes. "I haven't told that to anyone before, but..."

"Loss is painful," said Raven, "but it's best not to dwell on those emotions."

Raven too knew the pain of loss, having had to deal with the loss of her mother Arella back on Azarath... and though she could still speak with her mother, the pain of not having her around remained... and Raven too felt sad whenever she remembered her times with her mother.

"When I went to the statue the other day... it's like I could hear Terra speaking to me... she told me not to let what happened to her happen to Sanza... she told me to protect him like I would've protected her... I'm not boring you, am I?"

Though Raven had a disinterested look on her face, she understood Beast Boy's feelings very well... and was listening clearly to every word he said. She was amazed that Beast Boy had been so frank with her concerning his feelings about Terra.

If something happened to Sanza, Beast Boy would feel as if he'd failed Terra... that he'd failed to live up to her silent mission.

"Don't worry about it, Beast Boy," said Raven, standing up from the bed and walking toward the door. "Nothing's going to happen to Sanza... we're going to beat Slade, and-"

"Thanks..." said Beast Boy, standing up and walking over to Raven. Gratitude could clearly be seen in his eyes. "Thanks... for listening to me."

"...you're welcome," Raven replied, looking back at Beast Boy as she stood in her doorway. "And don't blame yourself for what happened to Terra. That wasn't your fault."

As Raven exited her room, Beast Boy lagged behind, a pang of guilt quickly welling up inside of him. He finally stepped out of Raven's room, and the door closed behind him, its sound echoing in his clouded mind.

__

"Yes it was..." thought Beast Boy, thinking of the last thing he'd said to Terra before she became Slade's apprentice._ "I had a chance to let her know she still had a friend, and I completely blew it... it's my fault she's gone..."_

O-O-O

Red X awoke to see that he was still in the back of Chang's curio shop, in the room with the forty-nine glowing Xynothium lava lamps. He felt his back pressed up against a wooden chair, and felt metal bands around his wrists, binding them tightly to the chair's back. Similar bands around his ankles lashed them together and to a wooden bar running between the chair's two legs.

__

"Now I know how Starfire felt..." thought Red X, a throbbing pain in the back of his head.

"Comfortable?" came Dr. Chang's voice from behind the chair, as the man stepped around to look into Red X's face. A casual smile was on his face, and his hands were clasped in front of his chest, the glow in his eye indicating that he was very proud of the trap he'd laid for the master thief.

"I'd be really comfortable if you could get a dominatrix in here," said Red X, his joke hiding his nervousness as he shifted his feet under the chair, trying to move his legs enough to bring his switchblade out between his two feet.

"With the money I get from selling all these lamps, I could hire a thousand dominatrixes," said Dr. Chang, "but I think I'll just settle for a nice villa by the ocean and a butler serving me for the rest of my life. As for you... I _would _kill you, but I wanted to find out your identity first..."

"You fucking dumbass, you could just kill me and take off my mask," replied Red X, feeling the switchblade slowly slip out from under his ankle sleeve and fall down to his feet, where he grasped it in-between the back of his boots. Using the metal bands wrapped around his ankles, he flicked out the blade and began moving his feet back and forth, sawing at his bonds with the small knife.

"But what's the fun in that?" asked Dr. Chang, reaching down for the bottom of X's mask. "Then I wouldn't get to see the fear in your eyes..."

But as Dr. Chang reached down, he hadn't realized at Red X had already managed to cut his legs free... and was now holding his switchblade by the tips of his toes, lurching out his legs toward Chang's ankles. With one swift motion, the blade slashed across Chang's exposed skin, making a long gash and causing the doctor to let out a loud scream. X flipped the blade backwards into the air, just enough for him to be able to catch it in his hands. As he began working on his wrist bonds, Dr. Chang charged at him with an angry yell. Red X immediately lifted his legs, kicking Chang in the chest. The force of the kick tipped over the chair, sending the back of it crashing down on Red X's wrists, the knife still clutched in his hands.

"Not... good idea..." groaned Red X, his entire weight and the weight of the chair pressing down into his arms as he continued cutting his hands free. _"Just a little more..."_

Dr. Chang stood up again, his arms wrapped around his chest, where he knew he probably had a cracked rib or two. X's kick had been incredibly hard and had taken the doctor by complete surprise... wasn't it an old Chinese proverb that stated _'a cornered tiger is always the most dangerous'_?

__

"This tiger's getting beheaded right now..." thought Dr. Chang, walking toward Red X with an agitated look on his face. As soon as he'd gotten a few steps, though, he saw that X had managed to cut his hands free... and now had his palm pointed right at Chang's face. He attempted to fire an X... only to realize that something was terribly wrong. "Oh, by the way... your little reactor is on the table. Couldn't have you using your fancy X-Blades to free yourself..."

Red X stood up, pounding his fist into his open palm.

"You do know that I've had training as a boxer, right?"

Before Chang could reply, X's fist smashed into the doctor's nose, hurling him backward. Immediately, Red X rushed to the table and grabbed the glowing Xynothium reactor, placing it back in his suit and instantly replenishing his Xynothium supply. Now Chang was in serious trouble...

"You seem to forget... I still have Xynothium too!" shouted Dr. Chang, pointing his arm at Red X and firing an X grappling hook from his suit, grabbing the thief by the arm and tugging him forward. Red X immediately countered, pointing his palm at the chain connecting the hook to his arm and firing an exploding X, which severed the chain and threw both doctor and thief backward, toward opposite walls of the room.

__

"You won't have your Xynothium much longer..." thought Red X, narrowing his eyes at the devilish mad scientist. _"I've fought guys _way _tougher than you..."_

O-O-O

Cyborg held the small, glowing blue computer chip in his hand, his fingers delicately gripping the item that represented the heart and soul of his beloved T-Car.

He too had grown tired of waiting for X's return, and had retreated to the garage to put the finishing touches on the replacement chip. Just a few days ago, Red X had stolen it in the middle of one of the Titans' heated battles... right out from under all of their noses. Cyborg had quickly rebuilt a new chip so that the car would be ready for the Titans' next mission, but the car wouldn't regain its full functionality until a new chip was completely finished.

He climbed inside the car and replaced the chip, smiling as the circuits lit up to indicate 100 operational capacity. He was glad that unlike Raven's mirror, the T-Chip was something that could be rebuilt, rewired, remade... like a lot of the parts in his body.

__

"I can always make another T-Chip, or even another T-Car, but..."

During his surveillance of the Salazars' apartment before their kidnapping at the hands of Slade, Cyborg realized just how wonderful of a family Sanza had. His mother was a kind, gentle woman who still retained strength and courage within her seemingly delicate frame. She was not only an incredible homemaker, but a brilliant, hard-working woman who brought home a lot of money so that her children could have a good life.

And Maddy was a great girl... funny, intelligent, and beautiful... if she was a few years older, Cyborg might've considered asking her out. Though she annoyed Sanza at times, the two still seemed to have a very close brother and sister relationship... and Cyborg could easily see why Sanza was willing to risk his life to protect her.

__

"For X, this is personal..." thought Cyborg. _"It's the same for all of us, but... X's family was attacked. That makes it a lot more personal for him than it is for the rest of us... even for Robin."_

Cyborg knew that Robin's own family had been victims of crime... and he was an incredibly determined crimefighter because of it. Robin's conflict was with all criminals... Sanza's conflict was with Slade. Once Slade was gone, X would have no more reason to fight alongside the Titans...

__

"He'll go back to being a thief..." thought Cyborg, taking another look at his car. _"And we'll have to fight him again..."_

Unless the Titans could convince him otherwise... and Cyborg was hoping that was the case. If they could get someone like Terra to stop being a criminal, they could convince Sanza as well...

O-O-O

Red X was the first to stand, watching Dr. Chang as he pulled his older, wearier body up from the ground. On the left of Chang were half of the Xynothium lava lamps he was planning to sell, stacked on top of an oaken table. On the other half were several rows of shelves, also stacked high with glowing red lamps.

"Careful," said Chang, standing in-between the lava lamps and raising up his hands in front of them. "You don't want to damage the merchandise..."

Unfazed by Chang's remark, Red X fired several shuriken Xs at Chang, their aim perfect, as none of the Xs came anywhere near the stacks of lava lamps. Chang screamed and pressed himself to the ground, shaking as the Xs embedded themselves into the wall behind him. Weakly, he raised one of his arms, firing out a Xynothium net that stretched out and flew at Red X, slamming into him and tangling him up before falling to the ground, its glowing wires forming a mesh that kept the thief pressed to the floor. As he struggled to stand, Chang walked over to him, his hand glowing bright red.

"Allow me to give you a demonstration of what raw Xynothium can do!" shouted Chang, firing a glowing red energy beam down at Red X, still trapped in the net. X quickly rolled out of the way, all the while wrestling with the net entangled around his body. As another energy beam surged toward him, he was finally able to throw off the net, which collided with the beam and canceled both of them out.

"I'm not very impressed," said Red X, leaping toward Dr. Chang with both his wrist blades extended. He slashed outward, catching Chang across the front of his robe and making a slash in the fabric, but barely missing any of Chang's skin. Dr. Chang laughed, forming two large red axes that materialized outward from his sleeves, three times as long as Red X's small blades. _"Okay, now I'm a bit impressed..."_

Chang swung one of the axes downward, causing X to somersault backward and out of the way. He landed on the table at the center of the room, which remained standing for less than a second before Chang's second axe swung through its legs, collapsing the table to the ground. X leapt off the table and struck Dr. Chang in the face with a powerful kick, knocking him back into the side wall of the room. His axes disappeared, and he slid downward to the floor, a trickle of blood coming from his nose.

"I'm also a blackbelt in karate," said X, retracting his own blades back into his wrists. Though he wasn't trained in dozens of forms of the martial arts like Robin was, he still knew enough to kick Dr. Chang's ass. Unfortunately for him, however, Chang still had plenty of Xynothium... and he knew how to use it.

As he stood up, he fired a stream of liquid Xynothium from his hand, staining the ground in front of Red X before moving up to both of his legs... and burning like acid on contact.

"What the...?" shouted Red X, stumbling back as the Xynothium began burning through the outer layers of the suit, searing the skin on his legs. _"I didn't know it could do that..."_

He stepped backward until he tripped over the remains of the table, his back falling flat against its broken frame, the Xynothium still burning his legs. Dr. Chang walked toward him, firing out another stream of Xynothium that landed on X's chest and arms... but instead of burning, it froze, turning into red ice as soon as it hit the table. He thrashed against the table, the ice freezing his chest as the Xynothium on his legs continued to burn.

"Raw Xynothium can do many things that your weak little reactor can't..."

A powerful electric shock surged through both the liquid and solid Xynothium on Red X's body, sending searing pain shooting through his nerves. He gritted his teeth, knowing that to scream would be to show weakness... weakness that he couldn't afford in a fight like this.

__

"I won't let this old bastard beat me... not here... not now... not now that I'm so close to destroying Slade!"

The icy Xynothium holding Red X to the table began to crack... but Chang, too enthralled in watching as Red X suffered from the force of the shocks, didn't even notice... but Red X, using his own Xynothium supply to create a metallic battering ram to break through the ice, took careful notice... he was just about free.

"You never should've come back here, you obnoxious little boy... I've been waiting for you or Robin to come back... although I think he would've done a lot better against me than you're doing. You didn't even _make _that suit... you're just a pathetic thief..."

The ice shattered, chunks of it hitting Dr. Chang and throwing him to the ground. The shocks ceased, and Red X stood up on the table, liquified Xynothium dripping from his legs. He held a large, metallic X in his right hand, its breadth more than three feet long.

"You're right about one thing," said X, hopping down from the table and standing over the fallen, stunned Dr. Chang. "I am just a thief... but don't ever, EVER call me pathetic."

Taking the large X in both hands, he swung it down on Dr. Chang's chest like a flyswatter. The force of the blow destroyed the mechanisms inside Chang's robe that allowed him to control Xynothium... and sent an enormous amount of it exploding forth from the suit like a broken red pen. The Xynothium splattered all over the room, covering both X and Chang in the highly volatile substance. While X's suit afforded him some protection, Chang's thin robe did not... and as the Xynothium began sparking, Chang let out a loud series of screams, realizing he'd made an enormous mistake in underestimating the dangerousness of the powerful chemical agent.

"Looks like you need a bath," said Red X, watching as the Xynothium covering Dr. Chang finally stopped sparking. He emitted a loud, pained gasp, then collapsed onto the ground, writhing in pain.

"Damn... you... you lousy thief..." replied Dr. Chang, stumbling up from the ground and pointing his finger in X's face. "I'll make you pay..."

"_After _I take your Xynothium," said Red X, shooting out an X that turned into another large, metallic band, this one pinning Chang's arms and legs to the wall. "Now you won't bother me while I-"

Suddenly, there was a loud knock at the door. X turned to Chang, a sly smile having appeared on the old man's face.

"My buyers..." said Chang, knowing that anyone who interfered with the sale would have to face the wrath of his deadly clients. "You're in big trouble n-"

A sticky X slapped over Chang's mouth, sealing it shut as Red X walked over to the door and slowly turned the knob.

__

"We'll see about that..." thought Red X, ready for whoever could be showing up.

O-O-O

The past few days had been an incredible adventure for Starfire... not only had she and the Titans fought both Red X and Slade numerous times, but they'd finally found out who Red X was...

Starfire's back pressed against the couch facing the Titans' large television. Her arms stretched out across the top of the couch, and her eyes stared up toward the ceiling. Somewhere out in the city, Red X was retrieving the final component he needed to put the Titans' plan into action... a plan that would mean the end of Slade, once and for all.

The Titans' battles against Slade had been some of their toughest, most emotional conflicts ever... and Starfire remembered every single one as if it were yesterday. The time Slade had placed nanoscopic probes in the Titans' bodies in order to force Robin to become his apprentice... that had definitely been one of the worst, and the pain the probes had caused Starfire was nothing compared to the pain she felt when she thought Robin... _her _Robin, the boy she loved, had been working for Slade... even though she suspected him only for a few brief moments, those moments were the worst of Starfire's entire life...

Until the previous day, at least... the day Starfire knew that Robin had been dreading... the day Slade finally used Robin's feelings for Starfire to try and lure him into a trap. And it had almost succeeded, had Starfire not freed herself and gotten to Robin in time... she clenched her fists at the memory, despising Slade for being the primary reason Robin didn't want to reveal his feelings to her. She knew _exactly _why he didn't want to show his affection...

__

"I assure you, Robin, I will not allow myself to be taken so easily... not again."

And not just by Slade, but by Red X... she was more helpless in Red X's hands than she ever was in Slade's. If he'd wanted to use her to get to Robin, he easily could have...

But X... no, Sanza, Sanza Salazar, who had turned out to be one of the nicest people Starfire had ever met, cared about her too much to use her in that way. He would never hurt her, unless it was to protect his own family... and even then, he was reluctant.

__

"He loves me like I love Robin..."

But Starfire knew she'd made the right decision in continuing to pursue Robin. It hadn't even taken her a second to decide, even after Sanza had been the first to kiss her. Robin was still the one Starfire loved, with all of her heart and soul...

And she still hadn't been completely able to tell him... in fact, they hadn't even kissed yet.

It was then that Robin re-entered the room from the kitchen, carrying two small white cups filled with a brown liquid substance, which Starfire knew to be hot chocolate. She'd had it before and loved it, almost as much as she loved the taste of mustard. Robin handed her one of the cups and sat down next to Starfire, noticing the contemplative look on her face.

"I have been thinking, Robin..."

"I can tell," he replied, showing a brief smile before his look of seriousness returned. "Care to tell me what you've been thinking _about_?"

"Many things... Slade... Sanza... me... you... yesterday."

Yesterday still weighed heavily on Robin's mind... the feeling of dread he felt when he realized that Starfire was nowhere to be found... his frantic search for her... abandoning Slade to rescue her from the boiler room, only to have her be the one to end up saving him by using her body as a shield to block the force and heat of the room's explosion.

He didn't want to focus on yesterday... his mind was focused on the present, and the near future... the final confrontation with Slade, or what he hoped would be the final confrontation. The point he and the other Titans had worked so hard to reach, now seemingly just moments away... he could almost see the bomb ripping Slade's body apart, ending his terrible crimes now and forever... and feeling no regret whatsoever at ending the madman's life.

__

"Batman doesn't kill... but I'm not Batman... and I'm not going to pretend to be."

The final straw had obviously been Slade finally doing what Robin had hoped would never happen... placing Starfire's life in danger. Sure, he'd put ALL of the Titans in danger with the probes... but an act targeted at Starfire and _only _Starfire...

And there Robin was again, thinking of yesterday.

After taking a sip of the cocoa, Starfire realized that Robin was getting uncomfortable... she quickly moved to change the tone of the conversation.

"After we defeat Slade, do you believe Sanza will... become one of us?"

It wasn't much of a change, but it was enough of a change to calm Robin's mind. He looked up at Starfire, showing no emotion on his face.

"A lot of that will be up to him..." said Robin, though his previous experience with allowing Terra to become a Teen Titan still stuck in his mind. Someone like Red X, who'd attacked the Titans many times before and was a known thief _certainly _wasn't someone who couldn't be easily trusted, even if he DID help the Titans beat Slade. "And I guess if he wants to join, I'll put the matter up to a vote."

"He will have my vote..." said Starfire, taking another sip of her cocoa. And she truly meant that, even though she'd probably been the one most touched by X's actions the past few days. Her main reason for trusting X was that she believed his promise never to hurt her to be a sacred vow, strengthened by the love that he apparently had for her. And if X would never hurt her, he could never be brought to betray any of the other Titans, especially if Slade was out of the way. "Of course... that is if he does wish to join us."

Robin doubted that he did, either way. Not only was X a thief, but he was a thief with a family, whom he apparently loved very much. Unlike the other Titans, X's family was alive and well on Earth... except of course for his father, whom Robin assumed to be dead.

Robin continued talking with Starfire as the two sipped their cups of cocoa, their conversation drifting to the subject of the battle at hand. Both of them were definitely a bit nervous to be fighting Slade again... but if the battle went well, the Titans' long ordeal with Slade would finally be over.

As soon as the two Titans finished, Raven and Beast Boy entered the room, followed next by Cyborg. Red X still hadn't returned, but the Titans were willing to wait... but Robin still had to wonder about the validity of X's supposed 'source' of Xynothium.

__

"Certainly he can't mean Dr. Chang..." Robin thought. _"That guy's out of town by now..."_

O-O-O

Red X opened the door to reveal three tough-looking Chinese men, all of them wearing identical gray business suits with shiny black dress shoes. The leader of the men was a short, middle-aged bald man with a thick black mustache, about a foot and a half shorter than the two large, burly, clean-shaven men standing behind him. The two taller men had full heads of hair, combed straight and in identical fashions, so that the two could easily pass for twins.

X blocked the three men from entering the room by standing in the doorway, unintimidated by their tough expressions.

"Are you Dr. Chang?" asked the man in front, clearly lacking any knowledge of Red X _or _of his exploits. The men were Triads, operating in the seedy underworld of Chinatown, with little knowledge of thieves like Red X or even of the superhero team known as the Teen Titans. "Your suit is... interesting."

Dr. Chang's muffled screams could be heard from inside the room, but the Triads apparently couldn't hear him, because their heads were fixed on Red X.

"The deal's off," said Red X, his arms pressing against the sides of the doorway. "You gentlemen had better head on home."

The Triad leader, clearly not amused, raised the tone of his voice as he began to speak again.

"We had a deal!" shouted the man, who stood as tall as Red X and was thus looking him straight in the eye. "Forty-nine kilograms of Xynothium for 2.4 million dollars! Do you not have the Xynothium?"

"I do, but I'm not giving it to you. By the way, I'm not Dr. Chang," said Red X, stepping back and allowing the men inside. As soon as they entered, they looked to their right and saw the man they were really expecting to deal with, Dr. Chang, pinned to the wall with an X across his mouth. The three Triads then turned back to Red X, their hands reaching down to their waists for their weapons. As soon as the three men had drawn their guns, X made his move, blasting the men's hands with shurikens that knocked the weapons from each of their hands. Then, X leapt into the air and kicked one of the tall Triads in the face, knocking him unconscious to the ground. In the same move, X spun around and kicked the other Triad in the side of the head, knocking him out as well. X then landed in front of the Triad leader, his eyes staring straight into the man's own.

"Who... who are you?" shouted the man, nervously stumbling back through the doorway. Red X watched the man as he left, not saying a single word, only glaring at him through the eyes of his mask, seemingly looking straight into the Triad leader's soul. The man turned and ran out of the curio shop, not even stopping to pick up his gun as he left. Red X smirked, turning back into the room and looking up at Dr. Chang, still pinned to the wall. "You know, the two lugs I knocked out are probably going to kill you when they wake up."

The horrific realization slowly dawning on him, Dr. Chang's eyes widened, and he began screaming loudly through the X over his mouth. Red X walked over and ripped the tape from Chang's face, still smiling under his mask.

"Please... you can't leave me with them!" shouted Chang, his eyes racing back and forth from the unconscious Triads to X, and back to the Triads, sweat pouring down his brow.

"I can do anything I want," said Red X, walking out of the room and into the main part of the curio shop. He looked around until he found what he wanted... a large, finely woven balsa wood basket. He carried it back into the room and lined the rim of the basket with a hard layer of Xynothium. Then, he began picking up lava lamps and cracking them over the basket like eggs, allowing the Xynothium to seep into the basket, slowly filling it up. Once he'd filled the basket completely up with Xynothium, he formed a red seal of hardened Xynothium over the top to keep the raw liquid inside. Then, he got up and began to leave the room.

"What about me?" shouted Dr. Chang, his cries becoming even more desperate as the men on the ground began to moan. "They're waking up! They'll kill me!"

"Like you were going to kill me?" asked Red X. He extended his wrist blade and lifted the tip up to Dr. Chang's throat. "On second thought, maybe I should kill you... I'd do it a lot quicker than these guys would. These guys would probably break your thumbs... while repeatedly sodomizing you."

Red X lowered the blade from Chang's throat and again began to leave the room. One of the thugs on the ground began shifting slightly.

"NO!" Chang shouted desperately, struggling against the metal band that held him to the wall. "You can't-"

Red X turned around and fired a single shuriken X that slashed across the bands, slicing them apart just enough for Chang to be able to squirm out. When he did, he hit the ground in a crumpled heap, his arms and legs bruised from the impact.

"Leave town," said Red X, a serious tone in his voice. "Because if I ever see you again..."

Before the Triads could wake up, Chang rose from the ground and fled the shop, not looking back. Red X casually strolled out of the store, picking up the most beautiful porcelain swan from the window display as he left and placing it in his pocket.

__

"This is for you, Maddy..." thought Red X, _"because I probably won't be getting back for ice cream until late, late tonight..."_

If he was getting back at all...

O-O-O

With the Xynothium-filled basket in his hands and the beautiful porcelain swan in his pocket, Red X entered Titans Tower, his legs still slightly aching from his battle with Dr. Chang.

"The Xynothium's in the bucket," said Red X, prompting Cyborg and Robin to walk over to him and take the bucket from his hands. "Should be more than enough for your proposed design..."

"We'll get right to work," said Cyborg, cradling the bucket in his hands.

"Good work," Robin added, smiling at Red X before he and Cyborg turned and left the room to work on the Xynothium bomb. As they left, Starfire walked up to Red X, a smile on her face.

"You did not have much difficulty retrieving the Xynothium, did you?" asked Starfire before noticing the slight burns in the legs of X's costume created by the acidic Xynothium Chang had used. "Oh dear... perhaps I spoke too soon..."

"No, it wasn't hard..." said Red X, walking past Starfire and sitting down on the Titans' couch. He glanced over to the kitchen area, where he could see Raven seated at the counter, sipping a cup of hot cocoa... then glanced to his left, where Beast Boy was on the couch next to him, flipping through a wrestling magazine. "You like that stuff? You know it's all scripted and fake, don't you?"

Beast Boy shot Red X an angry glare, still holding the magazine in his hands.

"For your information, wrestling is totally real!" shouted Beast Boy defensively.

Red X looked up at the ceiling, sighing under his mask. It would probably be several hours before Robin and Cyborg finished the Xynothium bomb, and there was nothing to do but sit and talk... these were the people who were about to be risking their lives alongside him, he might as well try to be as friendly to them as he could.

"...so," said Red X, his gaze working its way back to Beast Boy, "what do you think of Eddie Guerrero?"

O-O-O

The sun was setting, its beautiful red tint playing wonderfully against the clouds in the sky... and from the roof of Titans Tower, one had the most spectacular view of all, several hundred feet in the air and thousands of feet away from any buildings in the city.

__

"The Sun of Earth is perhaps even more beautiful than the Hygell Star of Tamaran..." thought Starfire, her emerald eyes immune to the brightness of the Sun and able to view it in full clarity, without risk of damage. It would only be a short time now... Robin and Cyborg would be finished with the construction of their Xynothium bomb at any moment, and the Titans and Red X would be headed toward the mountains to do battle with Slade.

The door behind Starfire creaked open, and when she looked back, she could see Robin coming out, a smile on his face. Starfire stood up, her hair gently waving in the light breeze... was the bomb finally finished? Could the Titans finally begin their climactic battle with Slade?

"Cyborg's doing a few last-minute diagnostics," said Robin, walking over to Starfire. "He said he'll send someone up when it's done."

"So... you came up here to-"

"Just to talk," said Robin, sitting down at the edge of the roof and still looking up at Starfire. "Is that all right?"

"It is always all right," said Starfire, sitting down next to Robin. She placed her arms across her knees, looking at the beautiful sunset out in the distance. "I guess... this is it then... after tonight... no more Slade."

"It's hard to believe..." Robin sighed, his own eyes looking out toward the setting sun. "And to think that it was Red X who made a lot of this possible..."

For all the trouble X had put the Titans through... for all he'd put Starfire through... he'd risked both his life and his family's lives to protect the Titans and help them track down Slade. He'd gotten them the Xynothium they needed to prepare the weapon that would take Slade out, and in just a few minutes, he'd be accompanying the Titans to Slade's lair, fighting alongside them against the deadly criminal.

Red X was a thief... but he was easily the most courageous and unique thief Robin or any of the Titans had ever met.

"...he'd get my vote too," said Robin, looking over at Starfire.

"Hmm?" said Starfire, her eyebrows raising.

"If X wants to join the Titans... I would vote yes," Robin replied. "He could've hurt you... he could've killed all of us... but he didn't. Even though his family was in mortal danger, he trusted us to save them, and was even going to come with me to rescue you if Slade hadn't tried to escape the factory. It's taken a lot of soul-searching, but... Red X has earned my respect, and my trust."

A smile appeared on Starfire's face... and suddenly, she wrapped her arms around Robin's back, surprising him with the force of her hug. As she pulled away, a nervous smile made its way to Robin's lips.

"What... was that?" asked Robin.

"Part of what Sanza admires about me is the ability to see the good in a person's heart, despite what they have previously done... and it is one of the things I also admire about you, Robin..."

"I'm not sure I'm following you, Star... I mean, it took an awful lot of stuff to-"

"It is not just goodness, though... it is strength, and that is something you see in me... you see that I can protect myself, and that is why you opened up to me, because you trust me to-"

__

You're the strongest girl I know... does she still remember I said that to her? It was true, though... even when Slade was able to capture Starfire, she fought back... she escaped... and she saved Robin's life. Yesterday was again surfacing in Robin's mind... but the more he thought about it, the more at peace he seemed to become... even when he couldn't get to Starfire, she always managed to find a way out of any situation... almost as if she was trying to prove to Robin that she could protect herself... that he could open up to her... that he shouldn't be afraid to let her know how he felt, even if some of the Titans' enemies could use it to their advantage.

__

"I've always trusted Starfire... but I'm just not sure if I can trust myself..."

But maybe, thought Robin... he didn't need to.

"And even if I cannot protect myself, I know that you will always be there for me... what I am trying to say is that..."

The two were now leaning toward each other again, both of them having stood up just a few seconds earlier without either of them really realizing what they were doing.

"Starfire, no matter what happens... I promise, I'll always..."

A second sacred vow... Starfire had the first, from Sanza... but this was the one that mattered. She didn't even need to hear Robin saying it... she knew that somewhere in Robin's mind, the words were being formed... even if Starfire couldn't protect herself, Robin would be there for her. He would protect her... he would save her.

"Starfire, I..."

Robin and Starfire both moved forward, their lips meeting in a tender kiss... their eyes closed as soon as the kiss began. Starfire's arms wrapped around Robin's back, and his slowly moved up as well, completing the embrace. The kiss lingered for two more seconds before their bodies finally parted, smiles on both Robin and Starfire's faces.

"I know," Starfire whispered, her eyes looking straight into his. A single tear of joy began forming in her eyes, but she held it back, and it disappeared as soon as it had come into view.

Red X had stepped onto the roof just as the kiss began, and now, leaning against the door and watching the conclusion of Robin and Starfire's joyous embrace, he couldn't help but let out a sigh, knowing that now, his chances with Starfire had officially fallen to zero.

__

"Guess I'll just have to take it out on Slade, won't I?" thought Red X, smiling under his mask. _"Remember what I told you, Robin... you'll be fighting for her now."_

O-O-O

A fitting conclusion to the penultimate chapter of the story. Can you feel it? The final battle draws near... and I must say, I'm as exciting about writing it as you guys are about reading it. Let the hype begin!


	21. An Antihero's Oath

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Teen Titans. If I did, this would be on TV and not here.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This doesn't take place in the same storyline as my "Forced Base" and "Fractured Heart" stories, so forget those when you're reading this. Also, this takes place after the fourth season, so anything that happens in the show after that isn't applicable to this. Also, about Sanza/Red X: When he's wearing the mask, he's Red X. When he's not, he's Sanza. Simple as that.

O-O-O

The Titans and Red X stood around the coffee table in the main room of the tower. At the center of the table stood a metallic canister, which measured about a foot tall and seven inches wide, its shape hexagonal. Along the sides of the canister were glowing red tubes that seemed to have a blood-like liquid flowing inside of them.

"This is it, y'all," said Cyborg, placing his hand on top of the device. "This is the Xynothium bomb."

"And this," said Robin, holding up a small, square remote control with a single red button at the center, "is the remote detonation device. Press this button and the bomb will explode, taking out anything in a fifty-foot radius."

X looked at the bomb tentatively, wondering if something so small could really be effective against a criminal mastermind like Slade. Then again, inside the bomb was more than two pounds of concentrated raw Xynothium... X was surprised the bomb's blast radius wasn't larger.

Cyborg picked up the canister from the table, while Robin continued to hold the remote control in his hands.

"The plan is this," said Robin, walking over to the keyboard in front of the Titans' large television monitor and pressing a button. The screen lit up, and a diagram of Mt. Cappalani, where Slade's new headquarters would most likely be, appeared on the screen in the form of a 3-D virtual model. "We get up onto the mountain and find Slade. We fight him for a while to distract him. Someone will leave the bomb, and once it's in place, we trap Slade and make our exit. Once we're at a safe distance, I will detonate the bomb, and-"

"Slade's done for," X finished, glancing at the canister in Cyborg's hands. "And you're sure this will work?"

"It has to," said Robin, a serious look on his face. "The sooner we take out Slade, the safer the city will be... and the safer your family will be, Sanza."

X didn't respond... until Starfire gently rested her hand on his shoulder. A reassuring look was on her face, and immediately, X could feel a wave of calm sweeping over him.

"After Slade is beaten... your family will no longer be in danger," said Starfire. "You will be able to live a normal life..."

"Unless, um... you wanna join us here or anything," said Beast Boy, nervously rubbing the back of his head.

"We'll talk about that later, Beast Boy," said Raven, glaring over at him, then turning to Red X. Before she could speak, X turned away from the other Titans, walking toward the front door of the Tower.

"I told you, I'm only teaming up with all of you to beat Slade," said Red X, looking back toward all of the other Titans. "After this..."

After this, Red X didn't know... would he go back to his life of crime, stealing just to get the incredible rush it gave him? Would he join the Titans, fighting crime with them, living in their Tower, maybe even becoming their friend?

Or would he hang up his suit forever... or would he even survive?

The feeling of uncertainty that Red X had was shared by all of the other Titans... they didn't know whether their mission would succeed, or even if Slade actually was where they believed him to be. Would they be able to get the bomb close enough for it to destroy Slade? Would he discover their plan and make it impossible for the Titans to get far enough away to detonate the device safely?

__

"So many damn questions..." thought Red X, pushing open the Tower's front door. "Are we gonna go take out Slade, or not?"

O-O-O

High up in Mt. Cappalani, in one of the many caves carved into the mountain by years of erosion, Slade stood out over a precipice, overlooking the city that one day he knew would be his. Just beside the city, in the center of the bay stood an enormous tower... Titans Tower, the home of Slade's mortal enemies.

__

"It won't be long now," thought Slade, watching several small specks fly from the base of the tower, slowly making their way to the forest above which his mountain fortress stood.

Slade knew his apprentice would be with the Titans... and despite the fact that Red X had just tried to kill him, he still had designs on making the thief his third apprentice... the apprentice with which he would conquer Jump City... and then the world.

__

"I will kill the Titans right in front of you... then you will see how hopeless it is to try and resist me, Sanza. You will see that you can never escape your fate... you will be my apprentice, whether you like it or not."

Slade took one last look over the city before retreating back inside the cave, where he would wait for the Titans... and his new apprentice to arrive.

__

"It won't be long now..."

O-O-O

The three Titans who could fly, Starfire, Raven, and Beast Boy, found themselves airlifting the two Titans who could not, as well as Red X, who also couldn't fly. Grasping the thief by his cape, eagle Beast Boy held onto Red X as tight as his talons would allow, swooping across the bay toward the forested area on the outskirts of Jump City.

"Just about there, team," said Robin, Starfire's hands wrapped tightly around his waist. "Does everyone know what they have to do?"

Red X knew exactly what he had to do... make sure Slade didn't escape from his mountain stronghold alive, even if the Titans became too reluctant to do it. X knew the Titans' modus operandi well... the Titans didn't kill, and even though Robin said that he was planning to end Slade's life, X still wasn't sure. He looked over at Starfire, her hair waving in the cool night breeze. She was the most compassionate of all the Titans... if anyone was going to bungle the mission by having too much heart, it would be her.

Not to say that X didn't like Starfire's compassion... but when it came to someone like Slade, there was no room for nice.

__

"The only good Slade is a dead Slade," thought Red X, as he and the Titans drew closer and closer to the first of the forest's many spruce trees, towering high above the rolling hills. _"No matter what anyone thinks..."_

Starfire, Raven, and Beast Boy set down in front of a winding path leading up into the forest and the mountain beyond. A sign clearly marked the distance to the mountain... it was less than a thousand-foot hike away. Just a few minutes until they were at the entrance...

"You're a lot lighter than I thought you'd be," said Beast Boy as soon as he'd detransformed, standing next to Red X after setting him down in front of the path. "Umm... do you work out much?"

Red X didn't say anything to Beast Boy. Instead, he began hiking up the path, his mind focused on the mission that lay ahead. The other Titans quickly followed, with Beast Boy lagging behind, disconcerted that Red X hadn't responded to his question.

"Dude, I just asked you a question..." mumbled Beast Boy, trudging up the dirt path with a dejected look on his face.

"It's time to get serious," said Raven, looking back at Beast Boy. "We'll have plenty of time for small talk _after _we beat Slade."

The Titans and Red X walked up the path, which was lit only by a few halogen lamps to mark the path and the light from the moon above. In the trees bordering the path, several cabins could barely be seen, smoke rising from the chimneys of a few of the houses.

The area was pristine... beautiful... the air was far fresher than the amalgam of pollution and trash fumes sifting through the streets and alleys of Jump City. The people living on the sides of the mountains outside the city led a purer, simpler existence... of course, this existence came at a high monetary price, which is why most of the homes were populated by office executives who worked in the city by day, but knew enough about the filthy urban jungle to understand the need to get away at night.

__

"My mom and sister would probably love living in a place like this..." thought Red X, staring at one of the homes as he and the Titans continued to walk up the path. _"Mom's boss probably lives somewhere out here... away from all the crime of the city..."_

Away from all the crime... except for the worst criminal of all. These people probably had no idea that they lived just hundreds of feet away from the new headquarters of the most diabolical villain in the city.

The end of the dirt path led straight up to the foot of the mountain itself... a wide, dirt half-circle in front of an enormous rocky plateau and a single, metallic door, a red sign hanging from it that read 'Keep Out'.

Never one to obey signs, Red X walked up to the door and placed an X right in the center. It expanded, creating a hole that swelled up to the size of the door itself, causing it to disappear.

"This is it," said X, turning to the other Titans as he stood in front of the open doorway. "I don't suppose any of you want to back out."

"If we did, we wouldn't be the Teen Titans," said Robin, walking around Red X and entering the door. X turned around and followed him, the other four Titans walking just behind. When all of them were through the doorway, it re-sealed itself, and a loud voice began echoing through the tunnel... a voice all of the Titans immediately recognized.

"You really should have read the sign," came Slade's voice, booming loudly through the tunnel. "And Sanza? Rest assured that by the time all of this is over, you _will _be my apprentice... you cannot escape."

"Who said I wanted to escape?" Red X replied, knowing that Slade probably couldn't hear him. "Don't worry, Slade... I'll come right to you."

The Titans and X walked through the dark tunnel, which was illuminated faintly by an eerie blue light that seemed to shine from somewhere in the distance, but the closer the Titans and Red X got, the farther away the light seemed to be.

The group walked what seemed to be even longer a path than the one they'd come up to reach the mountain. The constant curve of the tunnel meant that the group could see no longer than just a few feet ahead before their light of sight came straight up against the far wall. Finally, after several minutes of walking, they stepped out into a huge, rocky room... a vast, empty chamber built deep into the mountain. In the center of the chamber was an enormous rectangular pit, and at the back of the chamber was a narrow staircase winding up to a small passageway that seemed to lead deeper into the mountain.

The Titans stopped at the edge of the pit, looking straight down into what seemed like an endless sea of darkness. The blue light that seemed to fill the tunnel they'd just been in was coming from an enormous halogen lamp placed at the top of the chamber in the very center, shining straight down into the pit. The blue light was completely swallowed up, indicating that the pit they were staring into must've been very deep indeed.

"Okay... here's the big question," said Beast Boy, pointing into the pit. "Do we go down there, or..."

His finger drifted over to the stone steps leading up toward the small passage in the back of the chamber.

"Up there," Beast Boy continued. "I mean, that probably leads to the top of the mountain, but-"

"We may need to split up, as much as I hate to say it," Robin sighed, also wondering whether Slade could be at the bottom of the mountain or at the top.

Red X knew exactly where Slade was... or at least he had a hunch. Why would Slade choose a mountain as his base of operations if he wasn't going to hang out at the top? Clearly, the stairs leading up to the passage were the right way to go... but X wasn't too sure if he wanted to start a confrontation by stating his opinion.

"Perhaps those of us who can fly should go down into the pit, and those of us who cannot should head up the stairs," said Starfire, though she knew that would mean splitting up herself and Robin, something she didn't want to do, especially when dealing with someone like Slade. "Or... maybe Robin and I could go into the pit, and-"

While the debate was going on, a shadowy figure had appeared at the top of the stairs, standing in the middle of the passageway they were leading up to. Raven was the first to see him, and she was also the first to warn the group of his presence.

"Slade!" shouted Raven, pointing to the top of the stairs. Immediately, X and the other Titans turned toward the passage, all of them preparing for a fight.

"Welcome," said Slade, his hands stretched out so that he was touching both sides of the narrow cave opening. "You're probably wondering what the large pit in the center of the room is for. Certainly it can't be to trap all of you... you're much too smart for that."

Wasting little time, Red X pointed his palm at Slade and fired an exploding X, hoping to catch the evil mastermind off guard. His plan failed when Slade simply took a step back, allowing the X to harmlessly hit the wall behind him. Then, he came back into view, his gaze now focused on Red X.

"You'll get your chance soon enough," Slade mused, "though I certainly hope you don't think I'd come out and fight all of you just yet."

From inside the pit, a series of loud, mechanical noises could be heard... gears and springs were being put into motion, and a small platform at the bottom of the pit was slowly rising up... with an enormous monstrosity standing just on top of it.

In a few seconds, the Titans and X could see a huge, stone head beginning to rise up out of the hole... followed by shoulders, arms, and the rest of a body... a beast made entirely of stone, a granite gigas measuring nearly fifty feet in height emerging from the pit, its entire body visible as the platform it was standing on locked into place. The Titans immediately stepped back, while Red X kept his gaze locked on Slade... he didn't want to fight a giant stone man, he wanted to fight the man who'd kidnapped and terrorized his family.

"When my factory was destroyed, nearly all of my war machines went with it... except for this, my greatest design of all. On the outside, it may appear to look just like Cinderblock, only much larger. But on the inside, incredible craftsmanship combines with skilled mechanics to make a fully-functional robotic superweapon. Teen Titans... and apprentice, meet my magnum opus... Cinderblock Omega."

The beast's eyes opened, flashing a solid red as the gigantic robot shifted into attack mode. It unleashed a guttural roar from its mechanical belly, causing the entire chamber to quake and tremble. Starfire and Raven floated into the air, energy surging through their bodies, while Beast Boy transformed into an enormous gorilla, clenching his fists and preparing to attack. Cyborg's weapon systems went into their highest level of operation, while Robin extended his bo staff. Meanwhile, Red X was already going after Slade, his feet dashing toward the stairs leading to the passage where Slade stood.

He didn't even make it halfway. Cinderblock Omega's enormous hand opened up to reveal a large, circular cannon device. A boulder sprung forth from the cannon's chamber, traveling straight toward Red X's back.

Robin's warning cry came to Red X's ears a fraction of a second too late. The boulder slammed into his back, immediately knocking him face-first to the ground. As he fell, he looked up toward the passage... but Slade was already gone.

His face hit the rocky ground with a resounding smack, the boulder still resting dangerously on his spine. Starfire immediately thought the worst... that Red X's back was broken, and that he could be paralyzed. Cyborg set the Xynothium bomb safely by the wall of the chamber before running over to make sure Red X was okay. Meanwhile, the boulder on X's back was already beginning to lift up... using her telekinesis, Raven levitated the boulder and threw it straight at Cinderblock Omega's face.

The robot's hand reached out, crushing the levitated boulder in less then a second. Then, his powerful palm slapped down on Raven like a flyswatter, knocking her to the ground. Gorilla Beast Boy wrapped his arms around one of Cinderblock Omega's enormous stone legs, trying to muster enough strength to lift the robotic beast from the ground. He couldn't budge the giant robot even an inch, and he quickly found himself picked up and flung into the wall with one flick of Cinderblock Omega's powerful wrist.

Starfire let loose with a hail of Starbolts and eye-lasers, causing bright, flashy explosions against Cinderblock Omega's face and chest, but doing little real damage. Meanwhile, Robin was kneeling at the fallen Red X's side, rolling the thief over onto his back and holding a hand in front of his face.

"X... how many fingers am I holding up?" asked Robin, the weary thief's stunned vision melding Robin's hand into an indecipherable blur.

"Just one..." Red X groaned, holding up his middle finger for Robin to see before slowly crawling to his feet. "Where the hell is Slade?"

"He ran back up the tunnel, but-"

"Out of my way!" shouted Red X, shoving Robin to the side and dashing toward the stairs leading up to the passage through which Slade had disappeared. _"The Titans can handle this monster... my vendetta is against Slade, and Slade alone..."_

High up in the air, Starfire continued trying to damage Cinderblock Omega with Starbolts, hoping that a constant barrage could help her make even a small dent. Suddenly, she found herself crushed in the robot's grasp, its fingers clamping around her arms and chest. She began to scream as it lifted her high in the air, her eye lasers doing nothing to loosen the robot's grip.

Robin and Red X both heard Starfire's scream, and they quickly turned around, with Red X being the first to react.

"On second thought, if this thing's going to hurt Starfire, she might need my help!" shouted Red X, blasting the beast's left arm with an electric X, hoping that the shock might serve to dislodge its grip. The X hit Cinderblock Omega's arm, but the powerful resultant shock had absolutely no effect on a beast made entirely of stone. It turned its head and opened its mouth, spitting several large boulders at Robin and Red X. The two had to do some fancy footwork in order to dodge them all, with Robin nearly being smacked in the face by an errant fragment of one of the rocks.

"I'll handle this," shouted Robin, pointing his Batcable at the shoulder joint of the robot. The cable wrapped around it, enabling Robin to swing up into the air, flipping up onto its left wrist. As soon as Robin landed, the robot's hand rotated a full 180 degrees, enabling Robin to see Starfire, still trapped in its fingers. A second later, it hurled Starfire in Robin's direction. She slammed into him, knocking both of them down on top of the robot's arm.

"Hey, Robin!" shouted Cyborg, standing directly below the robot's outstretched left arm. "Look out!"

Robin nodded, grabbing Starfire by the arm and running back with her toward the back of the robot's left arm. When the two were at a safe distance, Cyborg pointed his wrists at Cinderblock Omega's left hand, letting loose with a steady stream of nearly a dozen small missiles, which converged on the robot's hand at exactly the same time, engulfing it in an enormous, fiery explosion.

The force of the blast caused Robin to stumble, nearly falling off Cinderblock Omega's left arm before Starfire's hand shot out, grasping around Robin's wrist and holding on tightly as he dangled above the rocky ground below. Her grip slowly loosened, and Robin's arm slipped in Starfire's grasp, so that now, only his fingers were being held by hers.

Sweat poured down Starfire's face as she held onto Robin's fingers, which also began slipping away from her. A look of fear appeared in his eyes, and he even let out a slight yell when he took another peek at the ground.

"Starfire!" shouted Robin, reaching up with his other hand to grab her wrist. "Don't... let..."

A rock flew out of Cinderblock Omega's mouth, straight at the point where Robin's fingers were wrapped around Starfire's wrist. Just seconds before the rock would have hit, Raven floated up in front of the two and created a huge black energy shield, the large boulder shattering against it.

With a determined look in her eyes, Starfire pulled Robin back onto Cinderblock Omega's arm, and for the first time, the two were able to see for themselves the damage that Cyborg's missiles had done to Cinderblock Omega's hand. And that damage... was absolutely nothing.

__

"You gotta be kidding me..." thought Robin, staring out at Cinderblock Omega's left hand, which had been rotated back to its original position and showed no signs of damage whatsoever from Cyborg's missile attack. _"What do we have to do to beat this guy?"_

On the ground, Beast Boy had detransformed and was trying to think of some way to harm the enormous robot. Picking him up obviously wasn't going to work, but there had to be some animal he could change into that would do some good.

"Beast Boy," said Red X, running over to the green superhero with a serious look on his face. "Can you change into a pterodactyl-"

"Yeah, but why do you-"

"Then do it, and let me get on your back," said Red X, looking up toward the robot's still-open mouth. "I have a plan..."

Robin and Starfire remained perched on Cinderblock Omega's left arm, while Raven floated out in front of the beat, her shield still extended in front of her body. Every few seconds or so, Cinderblock Omega would open its mouth and spit another boulder Raven's way, and she wasn't sure how long her barrier would last.

Suddenly, the beast pulled back its left arm, curling its fingers into a fist. Robin and Starfire immediately braced themselves for a hard impact, which is exactly what they got when the fist slammed into the center of Raven's shield, shattering the shield on impact and hurling Robin and Starfire from the robot's arm down toward the floor. The fist continued through Raven's shield and slammed into Raven herself, causing her to let out a scream as she was thrown to the ground next to Robin and Starfire. The beast roared triumphantly and began spitting several boulders down toward the three fallen Titans.

One of the boulders hit Cyborg as he was about to charge a plasma blast to fire into the robot's leg. The boulder knocked him flat on his back, leaving Red X and Beast Boy as the only two fighters still standing.

Or more accurately, they were floating... pterodactyl Beast Boy hovered in front of Cinderblock Omega's face, while Red X stood on top of him, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

That moment came when Cinderblock Omega spotted Beast Boy and Red X, and opened its mouth to spit a boulder at them. Red X seized the opportunity, filling the robot's gigantic mouth with thick, red goo. Cinderblock Omega stumbled back, but the goo kept coming... and coming... jamming up the boulders the robot was preparing to fire, as well as straining the connection between its head and the rest of its body.

Blue and red electricity sparked around Cinderblock Omega's head and neck, as more and more goo filled the robot's mouth, gumming up its insides. By now, Robin, Starfire, Raven, and Cyborg were back on their feet, watching as Red X blasted more and more Xynothium goo into Cinderblock Omega's mouth.

Finally, an explosion engulfed its neck, followed by a spray of goo that rained down on the four Titans, as well as splattering on Beast Boy and Red X. The goo spray was followed by Cinderblock Omega's enormous head falling from its shoulders and slamming into the ground below, just a few feet from where Robin, Starfire, and Raven were standing. All that was left where the robot's head once stood was a large hole, still dripping Xynothium goo to the ground below. Blue and red electricity sparked around the hole as the goo mixed with sensitive components on the robot's insides.

"...that was simple," Raven said, the first to break the silence after the beheading of Cinderblock Omega.

"Wonderful!" shouted Starfire, congratulating both Beast Boy and Red X as they continued floating in front of the decapitated robot. "Your solution, while slightly gruesome, was most delightfully splendid in ridding us of-"

A rumbling sounded from deep within Cinderblock Omega's chest. Its two arms, which had been hanging at its sides ever since its head was destroyed, suddenly began lifting up at the air, their fists pointed straight outward. The Titans on the ground gasped and stepped back, while Red X, perched on pterodactyl Beast Boy's back, had a stunned look on his face.

"You can't function without a head!" shouted Red X. Suddenly, like snakes, the two fists extended outward from the robot, with boulders emerging from its wrists, enabling the robot's arms to stretch. One of the fists struck at Red X, still perched on Beast Boy's back. The fist slammed into Red X, knocking him off of Beast Boy and sending him plummeting to the ground. The other fist went downward, slamming into Robin and knocking him backward several feet. The detonation remote for the Xynothium bomb flew out of his utility belt and hit the floor, skidding over to where Red X had landed after having fallen from Beast Boy. His weary hand drifted over to the remote, resting over it and concealing it from view of the others.

"Robin!" shouted Starfire, running over to make sure her boyfriend was okay. As she did this, Raven lifted Cyborg up into the air, allowing him to get clean shots at Omega Cinderblock's chest with his plasma cannon. The beheaded robot was wildly swinging its flexible arms back and forth, and Beast Boy shrunk himself down to a bat so that he was a smaller target.

__

"I'm wasting my time and my energy here..." thought Red X, looking up and watching as Raven, Beast Boy, and Cyborg resumed their battle with the giant stone creature. He looked back to the ground and over to his left side, and saw Starfire helping a bruised Robin up from the ground. He then looked toward the back wall of the room, where the Xynothium bomb sat, its sides still glowing bright red. His hand rested over the detonation remote, and now he knew he had everything he needed to take Slade down... all by himself.

"Starfire, lift me up to where Omega Cinderblock's head used to be!" shouted Robin as soon as he could stand. Starfire nodded, lifting Robin up by the back of his outfit and flying up to the top of Omega Cinderblock's shoulders. She lifted Robin over the smoking hole, which was still sparking and had Xynothium dripping slowly out of it. As Robin was being lifted down to it, a stone valve suddenly closed, sealing the hole shut. _"Dammit!"_

"Perhaps I can destroy the seal over the hole," said Starfire, setting Robin down next to it and letting loose with a flurry of Starbolts and eye lasers aimed at the center of the valve. "Open!"

The two didn't see the robot's enormous fists, poised at both sides of its shoulders. Its arms extended toward Robin and Starfire at incredible speed, and the fists collided into them simultaneously, smashing Robin and Starfire together face-to-face before slowly pulling away, dropping their dazed bodies to the ground.

Red X heard the collision, but his gaze was now focused at the top of the passage toward which he was running, dashing up the narrow stone steps with the Xynothium bomb and the detonation device in his hands. He didn't even look back to see how the Titans were doing as he disappeared through the narrow tunnel, running blindly into the darkness of the inner mountain.

O-O-O

Red X had no idea where he was going... there wasn't a single light in the tunnel as he ran, but he didn't care about bumping into anything, or falling into any traps that Slade might've placed in the darkness.

His mind was fixed on a singular goal... destroy Slade... and the bomb held in his hands would suit that purpose quite nicely. The red glow from the device barely allowed X to see his hands and feet as they ran on the ground... but that was about it.

__

"I'm coming, Slade..." thought Red X, running through the tunnel, his eyes slowly adjusting to the darkness. _"And when I find you... you'll pay... for everything you've done to me... for everything you've done to my family."_

X's eyes adjusted just enough to allow him to see just a few feet in front of his face... so when he neared the end of the tunnel, a wooden door with a metallic black handle, he was able to stop just in time to avoid running right into it. His hand reached down to the metal, his fingers trembling as they wrapped around the handle. Slowly, he pulled the door open...

The next room was a narrow space with small television monitors stacked up on desks lining the walls. He entered the room, the glow from the monitors giving him just enough light to see the room's basic shape. Another wooden door was at the end of the relatively short room, but he stopped in-between the desks, curious to see the images projected on the monitors.

It was then that he heard a soft, loving voice... and his head craned to the second row of four, third monitor from the left, on the desk to X's right. The screen displayed a clear image of Maddy's bedroom... where his mother was talking to the girl about what had happened to them the previous night.

Sanza's absence had frightened her... he'd promised to take her out for ice cream... but now night had fallen, and it was clearly becoming evident that something was wrong.

"I'm just really worried..." came Maddy's voice, her head resting on her mother's shoulder. "He... he promised he'd be back... what if something happened to him?"

Red X's hands went to his heart... it was beating slightly faster.

__

"Maddy..." he thought, reaching out to the scream as if to offer her a comforting pat on the head, _"I..."_

A muffled scream from the left caused Red X to turn around, his head whipping toward the screen in the bottom right corner of the four-by-four row. A recording of the video feed of the room where Maddy and Maria had been held captive the previous day was displayed on the screen... a Sladebot had come into the room, and wrenched Maddy away from her mother.

Red X's hands clenched into fists at the Sladebot's rough treatment... the girl, tears in her eyes, squealed up at the Sladebot. It ripped the tape from her face, then, a second later, jammed a water bottle into her mouth and tilted it up.

"Drink," ordered the Sladebot, waiting until Maddy had guzzled down half the bottle before roughly yanking it away.

"You guys are jerks!" Maddy shouted angrily, her messy hair whipping forward as she snapped at the Sladebot. "If you hurt my mom or my brother-"

Without warning, the Sladebot slapped Maddy across the face. Red X let out a cry of anger, not knowing that his sister had actually been hit by the Sladebots until seeing it just now, displayed on the screen right in front of his face. As Maddy gasped in pain, the Sladebot replaced the tape over the girl's mouth before marching out of the room, ignoring Maria's enraged, muffled shouts.

Red X's entire body trembled with rage... he reared back his fist, preparing to strike the screen... only to hear Slade's voice coming from the door at the other end of the room.

"You... didn't know? I thought that would be something your sister would've told you."

Red X immediately turned and ran at Slade, his palms pointed straight in the evil mastermind's direction.

"YOU SON OF A BITCH!" shouted Red X, letting loose with several exploding Xs that slammed into Slade and the walls around him, filling half of the room with smoke and fire. The force of the explosion blasted Red X back, and he raised up an arm to shield his face... only to see Slade's hazy outline through the smoke.

"I guess she was protecting you... if you knew my robots had harmed her, you'd come back to kill me... your sister doesn't think you're strong enough to protect yourself from me, Sanza. She knows how weak you are..."

Red X lunged forward, throwing a punch aimed at Slade's face. Slade stepped to the side, his right elbow slamming straight into X's throat. Red X stumbled back into the room, gasping for breath... while Slade disappeared into the shadows, through the door leading deeper into the mountain. With a loud scream of frustration, Red X blew up all the monitors in the room and dashed forward, occasionally firing an exploding X into the shadows beyond.

"COWARD!" Red X shouted at the top of his lungs, his breathing heavy as he stumbled through a narrow tunnel. His eyes narrowed in rage, he continued on... through several more doors and several more tunnels, up a steep flight of stairs, finally reaching a long hallway lit by hanging lamps, extending out farther than X could see. He ran through the hallway, his boots tracking across the stone floor, barely able to make out a door at the end of the tunnel.

Not only had Slade kidnapped Maddy, but he'd harmed her... even a single slap across the face was enough to make Slade a mortal enemy in X's book. Those Sladebots were programmed to act almost identical to Slade... and he was sure that had it actually been Slade in that room, he'd have slapped Maddy as well.

__

"Don't worry, Maddy..." thought Red X, running all the way up to the door at the end of the stone hallway and placing his fingers around the handle. _"I'll beat Slade... and I'll come home."_

He ripped open the door... and at a desk just to his left sat Slade, staring out into the night sky through the hole on the opposite end of the room. Red X immediately walked up to the desk, blocking Slade's view and forcing him to his feet. The Xynothium bomb was tucked under his left arm, while the detonator button was in his right hand, his thumb over the button.

"I could blow both of us to pieces right now if I wanted to," said Red X, holding up the bomb for Slade to see. "But instead, I think I'll just kick your ass and throw you out the window. That way, only one of us dies."

X set the bomb down in the corner of the room. Slade, unmoving from his desk, simply smiled as X walked back over to him.

"You want to live, don't you, Sanza?" asked Slade. Before he could say another word, Red X's fist came forward, striking at Slade's face. Slade lifted his hand and caught X's punch, squeezing tightly around the thief's fist. "If you're not going to be my apprentice, I have no more use for-"

X's fist began to glow in Slade's hand. Suddenly, a brilliant explosion engulfed both, throwing Red X all the way back onto the precipice overlooking the city below, a straight drop thousands of feet into the forest. Slade looked at his hand, smoldering from the explosion, but not nearly as damaged as Red X's... the entire center of his glove had been burned off, and there was a large blister in the middle of his hand.

__

"So that's why mom always tells us not to play with firecrackers," thought Red X, looking down at the smoldering wound in his hand. _"If it wasn't for that glove, I'd be out an arm right now..."_

"That was nothing but foolish," said Slade, walking out to the precipice and cornering X against the edge. "And now look what you've done... you've trapped yourself."

"I don't think so..." said Red X, running toward Slade with his arm pulled back, apparently prepared to punch Slade in the face. Suddenly, X slid to the ground, his right leg sweeping forward at Slade's ankle. Just when it seemed like X's attack had been successful, however, Slade leapt into the air and swung the same leg around, catching Red X square in the face. The force of the kick was enough to send him flying off the edge of the precipice. _"No... not like this!"_

In desperation, Red X swung out his unburned hand and managed to grab the edge of the rocky cliff with his fingers, which now gripped tenuously to the cliff's edge. Almost immediately, Slade walked up to X and raised up his foot to stomp down on X's fingers... then, he pulled his foot back, staring straight down into Red X's eyes.

"If you can pull yourself up, follow me," said Slade, walking back into the cliffside office and standing on his desk. As Red X watched in disbelief, Slade opened a trap door in the ceiling and began climbing through.

__

"No... YOU WON'T GET AWAY!"

Channeling an incredible amount of strength, X did a leaping somersault forward from the edge of the cliff, flipping his body upward and back onto solid ground just as Slade disappeared through the secret exit. Running forward, the thief raised his burned palm and tried to fire an exploding X... only to see red electricity sparking from the damaged glove. Cursing his badly planned-out attempt to show Slade that he was willing to destroy himself as long as it would kill them both, Red X picked up the bomb and detonator from the corner of the room and climbed up through the secret passage, entering yet another long tunnel which seemed to curl upward like a spiral staircase without stairs. X ran up the tunnel, hearing Slade's footsteps just a few seconds ahead.

"You can't run from me!" shouted X, continuing up the long, spiraling tunnel. _"I'll make you pay for hurting Maddy..."_

A flash of white light appeared briefly in the tunnel, accompanied by a dull rumbling... thunder, perhaps? X didn't care, continuing to dash up the tunnel despite his rapidly tiring legs and the sweat accumulating under his mask. To his great surprise, after nearly a minute of running he emerged on the other end of the tunnel... and out into the open, on the summit of the mountain, with only the night sky above his head. A flash of lightning lit up the night.

"Nowhere to run, Slade..." said Red X as he looked across the long, rocky plateau and saw Slade standing at the edge, looking out over the forest... and at the Jump City skyline.

"I know," replied Slade, turning to face Red X. "This is what you wanted, isn't it? A fight to the death, with no chance of either one of us running away?"

But Red X was planning to run away... once he'd incapacitated Slade long enough to place down the bomb, he could dash back down the tunnel and escape the blast radius before its detonation.

That is... if he even used the bomb at all. He set it and the detonation remote down by the tunnel entrance, then began walking forward toward Slade, knowing that with only one hand capable of using his X devices, he'd be at a disadvantage.

But he didn't care... he was planning on using the other hand to pummel Slade's face in.

O-O-O

Raven, Beast Boy, and Cyborg had a simple job... keep Omega Cinderblock distracted long enough for Robin and Starfire to break through the valve on top of the beast and expose its vulnerable inner machinery.

But if you told them it was a simple job... they'd probably disagree. Raven's energy shield was keeping her mostly protected from the barrage of boulders that Omega Cinderblock would sometimes deploy from its hands, but whenever those hands changed into fists and came at her, she was forced to put down the shield and dodge... shield or no shield, the robot's punches were deadly.

Robin and Starfire had taken a beating by staying on top of Omega Cinderblock's shoulders, but they knew that it would pay off once they'd finally broken inside and destroyed the giant stone Goliath once and for all.

Starfire's fists slammed repeatedly into the valve cover, hoping that if her energy attacks couldn't break it, perhaps physical strength would serve just as nicely. But her blows weren't even making a dent in the hardened stone, and she was getting more and more frustrated by the second.

Another of Omega Cinderblock's fists came up to try and knock Starfire and Robin from the top of its shoulders. Robin leapt out in front of it, throwing out several freeze bombs to create a wall of ice in the fist's path. The hard wall of ice shattered like glass as the fist tore through it, continuing toward Starfire with amazing speed.

"Starfire, look out!" shouted Robin, causing Starfire to turn around at the last second and extend her arms outward to block the fist. It knocked her back several feet, almost to the edge of Omega Cinderblock's left shoulder, but finally, Starfire was able to use her strength to hold the fist in place, her body straining to keep from being knocked over the edge. _"I've gotta help her somehow..."_

Robin leapt on top of Omega Cinderblock's arm and began raining down with a hail of bo staff blows. Finally, after nine such attacks, the fist backed off from Starfire and turned around... this time aimed straight at Robin. Robin rolled out of the way, but the fist zigzagged back around itself and came back from the opposite direction, growing longer and longer as it snaked its way toward the Boy Wonder.

While this was going on, pterodactyl Beast Boy now had a new rider... Cyborg leapt off of Beast Boy's back and onto the top of Omega Cinderblock's shoulder, watching as the beast's enormous right arm continued to grow as it pursued the elusive Robin.

"Yo, I think you guys could use some help!" shouted Cyborg, firing plasma blasts from his arm cannon at some of the large rocks comprising Omega Cinderblock's right arm. "Hang on, Robin!"

Using his bo staff as a pole vaulting tool, Robin leapt up on top of Omega Cinderblock's arm, causing it to stop in place, stretched out to nearly fifty feet in its pursuit of Robin. Its fist turned around to face the top of its arm... then, it opened its fingers and began firing large boulders at Robin, trying to knock him from his perch. The boulders he couldn't leap over or duck under he destroyed by breaking them into pieces with his bo staff.

Raven was having her own troubles, having to alternate between putting up her shield to block boulders or putting it down to dodge fists. Finally getting fed up with the monotony, Raven flew into the air, above Omega Cinderblock's shoulders. She looked behind her to see the robot's left arm in hot pursuit, its hand curled tightly into a rock-hard fist.

"RAVEN!" shouted Robin as he continued dodging and smashing boulders, with Starfire, Cyborg, and Beast Boy helping him to destroy the ones he couldn't dodge. "Fly straight at me!"

Raven, instantly seeing the idea behind Robin's strategy, took a nosedive straight at the Boy Wonder, her body trembling in fear as the fist drew closer and closer. At the last second before the two collided, Robin leapt away, and Raven quickly flew to the side, allowing Omega Cinderblock's left arm to plow straight into his right wrist.

A prodigious explosion of rock and dust followed. Starfire wrapped her arms around Robin to shield him from the debris, while Raven created a shield around herself and Cyborg. Beast Boy transformed into a turtle and crawled into his shell, bracing himself as the forceful explosion threw shrapnel in all directions. When the dust finally settled, the damage was clearly evident... Omega Cinderblock's arms had both been completely destroyed, and only legs and an enormous torso remained. Starfire floated Robin down to the ground, with Raven, Beast Boy, and Cyborg following soon after. The five Titans looked up at what remained of Slade's enormous stone creature, with broken rocks and stones scattered all around its legs.

"...are we now victorious?" said Starfire, nervously looking up and down to make sure the robot had no more hidden tricks or attacks.

"The only working parts were its head and arms," said Raven, looking the enormous creature up and down. "Some magnum opus..."

Another loud rumbling began sounding from deep inside Cinderblock Omega's chest. The Titans quickly got into defensive stances, realizing that if they were going to win, they'd have to destroy the robot entirely.

"Get ready, Titans!" shouted Robin, watching as the robot's torso suddenly began to rotate downward. _"What in the world is it doing?"_

The torso continued to spin, until the large, closed valve where Cinderblock Omega's head used to be was facing toward the Titans. Then, with a brief sliding noise, the valve opened. The Titans were staring straight into a large, circular aperture.

"Why'd it stop again?" asked Beast Boy, his eyebrows raised as he looked up to the valve.

"Listen," whispered Cyborg, hearing a soft, mechanical noise from inside the torso of the machine. The aperture was beginning to light up, taking on a dim, white glow. Small specks of light could be seen flowing slowly into it, their movement getting more and more frequent with every passing second. "It looks like it's..."

The torso of the robot suddenly began rotating again, until the aperture was pointed downward... directly at the Teen Titans. Now they could see straight up into it... and the dim white glow had quickly turned into a bright light. Cinderblock Omega, it seemed... was gathering energy.

"It's a giant energy cannon!" shouted Robin, now wanting to get as far away from the target area as he could. "Everyone, get out of the-"

Suddenly, a tall white barrier shot up around the Titans, trapping them within a glowing tunnel of light. Starfire and Raven both tried blasting the sides of the barrier with their energy attacks, but their blasts exploded harmlessly against the barrier. The Titans were trapped.

"There has to be some way out of here!" shouted Beast Boy, his fists desperately pounding away at the sides of the tunnel. "I'm too young to die!"

Starfire's eyes began to glow green, and she quickly flew up toward the ceiling. Robin immediately noticed, and began calling up to her.

"Perhaps the barrier keeping us trapped does not extend all the way to the ceiling!" Starfire shouted down to him. Sure enough, there was a tiny crack in the barrier where one part of the rocky ceiling was just a bit shorter than the part just next to it. With some effort, Starfire managed to squeeze through the top of the barrier. By now, the cannon had nearly charged completely, and the entire aperture had become bright enough to blind any of the Titans who looked into it.

"Quickly! Raven, Beast Boy, you can-"

"No, we can't..." said Raven, shaking her head in dismay. "The gap is only big enough for one person to go through at a time... and unless we can take Robin and Cyborg, we're not going."

"Raven, Beast Boy, get out of here!" Robin shouted. "If you can escape-"

"Dude, Raven's right..." said Beast Boy, fear clearly showing on his face. Even though he was scared to stay inside the barrier and face the cannon's wrath, he wasn't about to abandon his friends. "If you two have to stay, then-"

"Dammit!" shouted Cyborg, his plasma cannon useless against the powerful barrier. Starfire floated down to ground level, her eyes beginning to fill with tears as she saw Robin on the other side of the barrier, helplessly trapped behind a wall of white energy.

"Starfire, you have to escape!" shouted Robin, trying to reach out to her from across the barrier. Starfire shook her head, pressing her palm against Robin's on the other side.

"I will go back in and join you..." she said, hanging her head in despair. "I will not leave you to die, Robin... I-"

The aperture... it was wide open, and more than big enough for Starfire to float inside. If she could get into the robot... attack its inner machinery... then maybe she had a chance... a chance to destroy it... a chance to save her friends.

She turned toward the open hole, her eyes staring straight into the blinding white flash. She had to raise her arm to shield her face... the glowing white energy was even brighter than the Sun. The cannon would fire in just seconds... Starfire knew what she had to do.

Robin saw what Starfire was getting ready to do, and screamed at her to stop, pounding his fists against the barrier. Raven, Beast Boy, and Cyborg could see as well... and all their mouths opened wide in shock.

"I love you, Robin..." said Starfire, wiping a tear from her eye as she turned away from Robin for the last time and flew into the glowing light, immediately feeling the white-hot energy sear her flesh. She let out a loud scream... and then all was silent.

"STARFIRE!"

Seconds later, the beam fired... a powerful ray of white energy flowing forth from the aperture... and stopping right at the lip of the cannon. The energy stopped, and for a split-second, seemed to turn inward...

And then came an explosion. A brilliant white flash, rock and stone and energy being hurled in all directions... the barrier falling as soon as the last of the debris slammed against it. Despite the danger to his eyes, Robin looked straight into the flash, searching for any sign of Starfire... a silhouette, the glint of her beautiful red hair...

Robin saw her floating in the air, her arms hanging limp at her sides. Then, her body fell to the ground like a stone, smacking lifelessly against the cold floor of the chamber with the remains of Omega Cinderblock lying all around. Robin ran to her side, followed immediately by Raven, Beast Boy, and Cyborg. He knelt down and picked her up from the floor, his hands elevating her head and back, his eyes staring down into her face... her own eyes were closed, her mouth slightly open, her body lifeless.

"Starfire... no..." whispered Raven, her hand to her lips. She appeared to be trying to suppress a sob, and the glint of a single tear was in her right eye. A somber look was on Cyborg's face as well, and Beast Boy had already begun to cry, tears streaking down his right cheek as he realized he was about to have another devastating loss... first Terra, and now Starfire.

Robin was speechless as he held Starfire's limp body in her hands... he too could feel tears welling up in his eyes... but he had to be strong... just like Starfire... the strongest girl he'd ever known... the first girl he ever truly cared for...

"STARFIRE!" Robin shouted again, nearly shaking her in his trembling hands. "Damn it, Starfire, open your eyes!"

"Robin..." Cyborg reached out to touch Robin's shoulder, his voice trying to calm his leader, his best friend down... but Robin continued staring at Starfire's face, hoping that he could will her back to life.

Just as the first tear began to streak down Robin's face, the Tamaranian girl let out the slightest breath... then, a quiet cough. She briefly tried to rise up, then fell into Robin's arms again, her eyes slowly starting to open.

"Are we... victorious?" Starfire said weakly, her voice strained. Raven gasped and stepped back, a joyful smile appearing on her face. Beast Boy jumped into the air, while Cyborg let out a sigh of relief. A smile crept onto Robin's face as well, and he quickly shook the tear from his eye, picking Starfire up and sweeping her into his arms in a tight embrace. With a renewed strength, Starfire wrapped her own arms around Robin's back, despite the pain still coursing through her body. "I will take that as a yes..."

"You're alive!" shouted Beast Boy, jumping up and wrapping his arms around both Starfire and Robin.

"Great job, Star..." said Raven, a smile still on her face as her hand rested on her hip. Robin's body trembled as he held Starfire in his arms, knowing that he'd been seconds away from losing the girl he loved. He didn't want to let her go, and continued to embrace her even after Beast Boy pulled away... which was just fine with Starfire. She didn't want to let Robin go either.

But the joyful celebration was about to be cut short... Cyborg was the first to realize that there were three _very _important things missing.

"X is gone..." Cyborg announced grimly, "and he took the bomb and remote..."

Robin and Starfire immediately ceased their hug, and a frown appeared on Robin's face. He walked over to Cyborg and took a glance at the wall where the bomb had been... sure enough, it was gone.

"How could I have let him out of my sight?" shouted Robin, his hand immediately flying to his head and grabbing a chunk of his hair. "Dammit, what if he went to blow himself and Slade up?"

"Sanza wouldn't really do that, would he?" replied Beast Boy, his eyes widening. _"No... Sanza's not another Terra... he's not anything like her, he wouldn't-"_

"We must hurry!" shouted Starfire, floating to the bottom of the stairs leading up to the passage carved into the side of the chamber. "Before we are too late..."

O-O-O

Red X's first punch came in faster than Slade had expected. He weaved to the side, but the punch caught him across the cheek, doing little real damage but immediately signaling to Slade that he'd be in for a fight just as intense, if not more intense than the one inside the factory the previous day. By now, rain had begun steadily falling on the top of the mountain, and a loud crack of thunder shook the entire plateau.

__

"Now this is certainly familiar..." thought Red X, having dealt with a similar storm in his fight with Robin in the park a few days ago. "You scared of lightning, Slade?"

Slade didn't offer up a response. Instead, he threw up a kick that hit X right in the face, knocking him straight to the ground. When he began to stomp down on his fallen foe, X raised his intact glove and formed a spinning, fan-like metallic blade on his palm. The blade ripped through the bottom of Slade's boot, catching Slade off-guard and allowing X to lunge forward with a legsweep that knocked Slade off his feet and onto his back, just like Red X was. The two opponents both stood at the same time, the fan-like blade still protruding from X's right hand, its blades sweeping dangerously fast.

"How about surgery? Would you be afraid of someone cutting you open?"

X pushed the spinning blade forward at Slade's chest, but Slade quickly wrapped his fingers around X's wrist, twisting it hard before raising it high into the air, lifting up Red X's entire body and exposing him to the lightning overhead.

"That blade of yours is metal... millions of volts would certainly fry both you and your pathetic suit!"

"What about you, Slade?" shouted Red X, the hard rain soaking the outside of his suit. "If you're holding onto me, you'll get fried too!"

Slade threw Red X to the ground, causing the fanblade to fall apart in X's hand. He landed on his side but quickly stood up, shaking the rain from his body and charging forward at Slade again. This time, he fired a concentrated Xynothium laser from his right hand, which struck Slade in the chest and caused him to stumble back. Slade didn't notice that he was standing a few feet in front of the edge of the cliff... but Red X did, and he lunged forward with a hard shove, hoping to send Slade plummeting over the side.

Slade reacted quickly, grabbing both of Red X's wrists and holding him in place just long enough to strike with a knee to the gut. He released X's wrists, elbowing him hard in the back as he doubled over in pain. Red X found himself on the ground again, falling in a large puddle of water that had pooled up on the rocky plateau. Another bolt of lightning streaked through the sky.

"Hmm... if you'd have managed to shove me, I'd have gone right over the edge," said Slade, just before kicking X hard in the side to roll him over on his back. His entire midsection now flaring up with pain, Red X looked up, barely able to see Slade's face through the driving rain. "That was pretty clever... you're almost as good a strategist as I am."

Red X's right hand shot up, firing a sticky X that slammed into Slade's eyes, pasting over them and blinding Slade. Picking himself up from the ground, Red X threw a punch at Slade's face, only to recoil in shock when Slade reached up and blocked the punch with his forearm.

"Sight isn't the only sense, you know," said the blinded Slade, leaping up and kicking Red X hard in the chest, knocking him back down to the ground. Slade stepped forward and ripped the X from his eyes, tossing it on top of Red X's battered chest. "But another nice try."

__

"I'm losing again..." thought Red X, the familiar sense of failure creeping back into his psyche. He really shouldn't have expected to be able to beat Slade... even when his family's lives were on the line, he was barely able to put a scratch on the man. But as Slade reached down to pick him up from the ground, Red X felt his fists clenching again... he wasn't about to lose to Slade a second time... he'd sworn to himself that he would defeat Slade... and after seeing his helpless baby sister Maddy on the receiving end of a Sladebot slap, Red X would never, ever give up.

But it was then, as Slade was about to pick Red X up from the ground, that both of them heard an all-too familiar battle cry...

"TITANS, GO!"

A flurry of Starbolts slammed into Slade, followed by a blast from Cyborg's arm cannon, hitting Slade right in the chest. As Slade stumbled back toward the edge of the cliff, wincing in pain, a powerful green rhino charged into his side, knocking him back toward the center of the plateau.

"Azarath, metreon, zinthos!"

A tree from the bottom of the mountain rose up to the top, its branches and leaves stripped off to make a powerful wooden battering ram that hit Slade across the back. Just before he hit the ground, Robin's bo staff slapped across his face, knocking him back to his feet, stumbling and moaning.

The five Teen Titans surrounded Slade, with Red X on his knees on the outside, looking in.

"What are you doing?" shouted Red X, standing up and brushing himself off. "You're interfering with-"

"You said that we'd all take on Slade... together," said Robin, shooting a glance in Red X's direction. "Those were the terms of our agreement, right?"

Red X angrily clenched his fists, a bolt of lightning illuminating the sky behind him. As Robin turned around, Slade's fist slammed into the side of his face, knocking him back. Almost immediately, Starfire and Cyborg were upon him, but Slade wildly whipped his body to the side, knocking them both away.

"This is a private party," said Slade, "and only Sanza was invited!"

"I've got my invitation right here," said Raven, wildly moving her arms as she floated into the sky with hundreds of small rocks surrounding her body. "Azarath, metreon-"

Slade's right hand shot forward, clamping over Raven's mouth and cutting her off in mid-chant. His hand lowered to her neck, grabbing tightly around it and tossing Raven toward Starfire and Cyborg, still lying on the ground in pain. Raven slammed into both of them, the three of them forming a crumpled heap on the ground.

Out of the corner of his eye, Slade saw rhino Beast Boy charging straight toward him. He turned toward Beast Boy and aimed a punch right into the base of Beast Boy's central horn, a punch powerful enough to throw all two tons of Beast Boy up into the air. He detransformed a second later, landing hard on the ground at the edge of the cliff. As Slade turned back around, shaking out his hand, he saw the side of Robin's staff coming straight toward his face. He ducked under the staff and took a punch at Robin, who leapt back and came at Slade with a kick that struck him straight in the jaw.

Slade stumbled back, and Red X leapt into the fray, slamming his fist into Slade's already vulnerable face. X then turned to Robin and nodded.

__

"If I can't beat Slade alone, then I can at least help..." thought Red X as Robin briefly smiled his way. _"This isn't such a private party after all, Slade."_

Slade rubbed his jaw with his fist and ran at Robin and Red X, who launched into a series of punches and kicks, improvising the best way to coordinate a duel attack. Slade could barely keep up with blows from both Robin and Red X, and soon found himself taking more punches and kicks than he was dishing out himself. A punch to the face from Robin was followed up immediately by a kick to the ankle from Red X, and then another kick from Robin, this time aimed at Slade's hip.

"So you finally learned how to play well with others," said Slade, briefly turning his head in X's direction. "Too bad it's not going to do you a bit of good."

After swinging under Robin's punch, Slade turned around and raised up his arm to block a kick from Red X. Then, he spun around, driving his knee straight into X's chest. The powerful blow knocked X hard to the ground and away from the fight, putting him out of the action. Then Slade turned to counter Robin's blows, the Boy Wonder's swift attacks coming hard and fast at his head and chest.

"You always did give me my best fights, Robin," said Slade, having far more difficulty in blocking Robin's attacks than he had in blocking Red X's. "Swift, agile, cunning... and already trained by one of the best."

Robin wasn't in the mood for small talk, and he leapt into the air with a sweeping kick, the side of his leg smashing into Slade's face. As Slade stumbled back, Red X stood up, charging toward Slade in an attempt to tackle Slade to the ground. What he got was Slade's elbow slamming right into his nose, already broken from the fight the previous day. Red X screamed in pain, watching helplessly as Slade stepped forward to continue his battle with Robin.

__

"Goddamn that hurts..." thought Red X, pulling the mask away from his face and feeling a rush of blood gush out from underneath, Slade's elbow having likely burst every blood vessel in his nose. "Son of a..."

Robin saw the blood gushing from under Red X's mask, and in his moment of hesitation to see if X was alright, Slade slammed his fist into Robin's chest, stunning the Boy Wonder. He then picked Robin up and hurled him into the hole in the plateau that led to the tunnel underneath.

With a loud battlecry, Starfire flew at Slade, blasting him in the shoulder with a single Starbolt. Before she could fire another, Slade grabbed her by the legs and tossed her into the hole along with Robin. He then saw Raven and Cyborg charging him, both of them flanking a running, roaring Tyrannosaurus Rex Beast Boy. Slade leapt over Beast Boy and wrapped both of his powerful hands around Beast Boy's tail, lifting him into the air and swinging his enormous body around in a circle.

Beast Boy smashed into both Raven and Cyborg, knocking them back into the tunnel before Beast Boy too was released, detransforming before he too fell into the tunnel, landing on top of his friends.

Meanwhile, Red X was still trying to get all the blood out from under his mask, his pride crushed by having been beaten back so easily.

__

"Robin was going blow-for-blow with Slade... but I could barely land a punch, and the only time I could actually hit him was with Robin's help..."

Red X looked back at Slade... and then at the tunnel, from which the Teen Titans still hadn't emerged. His rage swelling up again, he stood up and ran past Slade, toward the open mouth of the tunnel. Slade, knowing exactly what Red X would do, didn't even bother to try and stop him.

X lowered his intact glove toward the mouth of the tunnel... and began sealing it up with a thick layer of Xynothium goo. The goo hardened into an impenetrable layer of metal, blocking off the only entrance to the plateau in mere seconds.

"It's a private party again," said Red X, his teeth clenched as he turned back toward Slade. Blood still leaked from the small gap between his mask and the rest of his body, and his frame heaved up and down with every breath he took.

"Good," replied Slade, holding one of his hands behind his back. "And just to ensure that you don't try something on the order of gallantly sacrificing yourself just to finish me off..."

Slade showed his hand to reveal... the detonation device for the Xynothium bomb. He took it in both hands and snapped the remote in two, allowing its broken fragments to fall to the ground.

"With that taken care of... let's begin, shall we?"

O-O-O

Under the layer of Xynothium blocking off the top of the plateau, the Titans soon realized that they'd been barred from re-entering the fight. Robin's hands pounded the hard metal, but his struggles were in vain... the Xynothium held strong.

"What's he going to do up there?" shouted Robin, his fists repeatedly slamming into the impenetrable barrier. "We were supposed to fight Slade together!"

"Pride is one of the seven deadly sins..." said Raven, briefly remembering something she knew from the lore of Sanza's religion. "It seems that Red X has fallen victim."

"We must do something!" shouted Starfire, though she knew that using her Starbolts in the enclosed tunnel could be dangerous. Either way, they certainly wouldn't be able to break through the barrier. "Or Sanza will-"

Beast Boy gasped, realizing at the same time as Starfire what Red X might be planning to do.

"If he does that, we don't need to be anywhere around here!" shouted Cyborg. "There's another path leading up to the top of the mountain... once we get down to the base we can start climbing up from the outside... or Star and Raven could float up and-"

"Let's go," said Robin, running down the tunnel in the opposite direction. If the others were right, he and the Titans didn't have much time before... but would Sanza really try to... from what Sanza had told Robin of his hatred for Slade, all signs pointed to yes.

O-O-O

The destruction of the bomb's control device was irrelevant... sealing up the tunnel meant that Red X had no way to escape even if he did want to detonate the device.

Either he beat Slade in hand-to-hand combat, or the plateau would be his grave. No more bomb... no more chances. It was now or never for Red X... he had to prove once and for all that he could protect his family.

Slade's punches came in furiously, and somehow Red X found himself dodging all of them, his limber body swinging quickly back and forth, curving away from Slade's blows. As Slade's arm whizzed past him, he reached down and grabbed it, while at the same time throwing back an elbow into Slade's face.

Red X then spun around, shooting an exploding X straight into Slade's chest. The blast sent Slade up into the air, then back down to the ground, landing hard on his back. Pride and anger within Red X had given way to determination... and he could feel his sister's spirit flowing through his body with every punch. He could see her at his side, willing him on... and when Slade climbed up, Red X rushed forward, his legs feeling as if he had tiny wings protruding from his boots, making every step an agile glide. He swung his fist, striking Slade in the side of the face... then swung with his other fist, hoping to connect the blow that would knock Slade to the ground again.

Slade caught Red X's wrist, then reared back and struck X in the face with a vicious headbutt. Kept from falling down only by Slade's tight grip on his arm, X was taken completely by surprise when Slade released his wrist and struck him in the shoulder with a powerful chop, sending a searing pain through Red X's entire right arm. Letting out a loud scream, X stumbled back, clutching his injured shoulder... and Slade struck again, kicking Red X in the knee.

"Trial by fire," said Slade as Red X fell to one knee, struggling to keep from falling down completely. A loud thunderclap nearly blocked out Slade's next words, but X could still hear them as if they were spoken through a megaphone. "Maybe I should kill your family so you'll have nothing to fight for."

Slade's fist struck downward at the fallen Red X, but X reached up and grabbed Slade by the wrist, wobbling to his feet and raising his right palm in Slade's face.

"You've threatened my _familia _for the last time, Slade..." said Red X, firing out an X that stuck right to the middle of Slade's face. Slade stumbled back, and the thief fired several more Xs that stuck to Slade's chest, arms, and legs. A powerful electrical shock surged through the Xs, sending an electrical burst more powerful than the ones he'd used to immobilize four of the Titans back at Tekita Refinery combined through Slade's body. Slade cried out in pain and stumbled back even further, but he didn't fall... instead, he stopped screaming and stood completely erect as the shocks continued surging through every muscle and bone that Slade had.

"If this is your most powerful attack, I'm not impressed..." said Slade, slowly ripping the Xs from his body. "If you think the effectiveness of an attack can be gauged by the amount of pain it causes, you're completely mistaken... when you're as powerful as I am, pain means NOTHING!"

As soon as Slade had torn off the last X, Red X immediately lunged at him with another punch... but the punch was again caught by Slade, who released X's hand only to strike at him with a faster punch, knocking X onto the ground as another clap of thunder roared across the plateau. X stood up again, only to be kicked in the chest by Slade and thrown back to the ground. Slade advanced on Red X as he scooted backward, his eyes looking straight into Red X's face, which was growing more fearful by the second.

"For someone like you, a weak, ignorant fool, pain is the only thing that matters... even now you're crawling away from me because you're afraid to get knocked down again."

"I WILL NEVER BE AFRAID OF YOU!" shouted Red X, getting up and charging at Slade. Slade swung his elbow into X's face, knocking him backward and back down to the ground, where he skidded nearly a foot before coming to a stop and again scooting backward before standing up.

"When you finally accept my offer... when you finally become my apprentice, I will rid you of your weakness... you will learn not to fear pain, or anything else."

Again Red X stood, and again he was knocked to the ground, this time by a punch to the forehead. He now found himself with his back pressed against the blocked tunnel, his body once more beginning to tremble. The lightning now came every second, accompanied by instant thunder, its force powerful enough to shake the entire plateau.

__

"I can't beat him..." thought Red X, instantly trying to chase the feeling from his mind. _"Yes I can... no, I can't..."_

"Your sister, your mother... both of them weak, both of them holding you back... stop caring about them and-"

Red X rose to his feet and was instantly kicked in the stomach, his body slammed into the blocked tunnel. Slade's foot rose upward, kicking Red X in the side of the head and throwing him to the ground on his side. Now delirious with pain, Red X's vision began to blur, and he cried out as he tried to stand again, the agony of movement quickly becoming too much to bear. He winced his eyes closed, terrified as another peal of thunder crashed over his head.

O-O-O

__

Thunder... lightning... as a child, Sanza hated the thunder... every time a storm would come at night, it woke him up, and now, at fifteen past midnight, little ten-year-old Sanza couldn't sleep... the thunder was a constant reminder of the apparent danger he was in. His eyes wide, he stared at the ceiling for ten minutes, whispering a song in Spanish to try and calm himself down. Tears began rolling down his cheeks as the thunder and lightning got closer and closer, and he trembled under his sheets, thinking he'd die at any moment.

Sanza screamed when he saw a silhouette in the doorway, at first unable to make out who it was... the lightning lit up the room, and it was then that he realized that it was only his mother, who'd just come to check up on him before she herself went to bed.

The lights in the room flashed on, and Maria walked over to her son's bed, gently wiping the tears from his face.

"Sweetie... did the thunder wake you up again?"

Sanza nodded, unable to speak as another loud burst of thunder shook the room he was in. Immediately, he could feel his mother gently pulling him up from the covers enough to wrap her arms softly around her chest, pressing her chin to the top of his head.

"I'll stay with you until the storm goes away..."

And for nearly an hour, Maria Salazar held her son in her arms... he'd fallen asleep after only a few minutes, but true to her promise, she held him until the last faint rumbles of thunder disappeared into the night. As a light drizzle continued to fall outside the window, Maria slid Sanza back into his place under the covers, planted a single, gentle kiss on the top of his head, and walked out of the room, slowly closing the door as not to wake her son.

O-O-O

Now, more than six years later, there was no one to hold Sanza... no one to protect Red X as he lay at the top of the plateau, completely exposed to the elements, his body battered and with Slade standing over him.

__

"Mom... Maddy... I won't let you down..."

The first thing X saw when he looked up was a small canister, its sides still glowing red. _The Xynothium bomb... _and something Red X hadn't noticed before. A black button on the side, marked 'Auxillary Detonation Mechanism- 3 Minute Timer', with a tiny LCD timer beneath it.

Red X's trembling finger was poised over the button for only a second before finally pressing down on the button. Red numbers on the timer lit up... '3:00' and counting.

Remembering his mother's gentle embrace... Maddy's rejuvenating smile... Red X had made his decision, and was almost instantly at peace with it. For the first time in nearly a minute, he managed to stand up, his eyes staring straight into Slade's.

"3 minutes," said Red X, his fists clenching. "That's how long both of us have..."

"What are you talking about?" Slade replied before X gestured toward the Xynothium bomb's LCD timer.

****

2:57... 2:56... 2:55...

"What was it you said... 'pain is nothing'? I'm sure it'll be pretty painless for both of us."

With a cry of rage, Slade's fist slammed into Red X's face, knocking him back against the blocked tunnel.

"A coward's way out," said Slade, a hint of fear starting to show up in his voice.

"I am NOT a coward!" Red X replied, pressing his hands back against the rock and lifting up his feet. He raised them into the air and slammed them both into Slade's chest, the kick sending Slade stumbling backward. He immediately ran toward Slade, who was too distracted by thoughts of the bomb's imminent explosion to notice Red X's fist plowing into the side of his face, sending him back even more.

****

2:20... 2:19... 2:18...

Slade ducked under Red X's next blow, ramming his head forward and headbutting Red X in the stomach. X gasped, but didn't fall, which enabled Slade to drive the side of his arm into Red X's chin.

__

"Only two more minutes now..." thought Red X, ignoring the rampant pain still shooting through his body. _"Two minutes until mom and Maddy are safe... until Slade is gone forever..."_

The next blow that came knocked Red X back to the ground, a punch that struck X right between the eyes and planted him hard on his back. Instead of trying to strike another blow, Slade charged past X and ran toward the Xynothium bomb, with the intentions of hurling it from the side of the cliff. Realizing this, Red X stood up and delivered a chop block to the back of Slade's legs, knocking him down just short of the device. His eyes were directly in front of it, allowing him to get a clear view of the LCD timer.

****

1:28... 1:27... 1:26...

"If you're doing this for Maddy, you have to realize that she'll never see you again!" shouted Slade as Red X, using all the strength he had left, began pulling him away from the bomb. "Think of how she'd feel... of how she'd react... they wouldn't find your body, so she'd be in agony for years, her every hope of you being found dashed every day that you don't come home!"

Slade's appeal to reason stopped Red X in his tracks, and his mouth hung wide open.

__

"My God... he's right..." thought X, releasing his grip on Slade's legs. Suddenly, Slade struck him with a powerful mule kick to the face, causing his body to snap back and fall to the ground. He looked up into the sky, lightning still streaking rapidly across it. _"Maddy... no, I can't be selfish! This is for her own good! If I don't kill Slade now, Maddy will suffer! Mom will suffer!"_

Red X sat up and began to stand. Suddenly, Slade's fist slammed into his face, knocking him back down. A rain of blows suddenly collided with his face and chest, and Red X again cried out in pain, his screams drowned out by the thunder echoing down onto the mountain.

****

0:35... 0:34... 0:33...

Slade had to make sure Red X couldn't get up... finally, after landing nearly a dozen punches, he staggered back toward the bomb, leaving Red X flattened on the ground, moaning in pain.

****

0:30... 0:29... 0:28...

Clenching his fists and feeling the spirit of both Maddy and his mother in his body, Red X leapt to his feet, his legs numb as he dashed toward Slade's back.

__

"I do this for you... with everything in me, I vow to protect you both!"

****

0:21... 0:20... 0:19...

As Slade reached down to pick up the bomb, he heard Red X's footsteps behind him... then felt an arm tighten around his neck.

Bringing down all of his weight at once, Red X leapt into the air with his hand still around Slade's neck, the momentum planting Slade face-down on the ground.

"That's a move I like to call the RKO, bitch."

When Slade looked up, he saw Red X standing in front of the bomb, his hands on his hips.

"Think of Maddy..." thought Slade, slowly climbing to his feet. His voice was filled with fear, and his next words came as a terrified shout. "YOU'LL BREAK MADDY'S HEART IF YOU SACRIFICE YOURSELF!"

****

0:10... 0:09... 0:08...

Slade was going to die... and this time, there would be no deal with the Devil to bring him back.

****

0:07... 0:06...

O-O-O

The Titans emerged at the base of the mountain, rain drenching their weary bodies. Now that he and the other Titans were out of the tunnel, Robin had time to notice that his T-Com was flashing brightly. He took it out and opened it up... and his eyes widened in horror when he saw the readout on the device.

'Auxillary Detonation Sequence Activated' was the message, with a countdown timer just underneath it. The numbers on the display sent a chill down Robin's spine.

"What is it, Robin?" asked Starfire, walking over to look at the device. "Why did you gasp?"

When she saw the countdown, she too gasped in terror.

****

0:05... 0:04... 0:03... 0:02... 0:01...

A bright red flash lit up the top of the mountain... and then, an enormous explosion. All five Titans looked up at once... Mt. Cappalani looked like it was a volcano, with a huge plume of smoke coming up from the top.

"No..." gasped Beast Boy, his trembling hand over his heart. "He... he couldn't have..."

But the smoke coming from the top of the mountain sent an all-too-clear message... Red X had apparently sacrificed himself to kill Slade.

Like Terra before him, Red X was a hero... but at the cost of his life.

"NO!" screamed Starfire, shaking her head violently. "It cannot be true! Sanza would not... he could not..."

"He did," said Raven, bowing her head and closing her eyes. She too shook her head. "It was the only way to make sure his family was safe..."

"But I didn't think he..."

Cyborg soon found himself at a loss for words, along with the other Titans... Beast Boy was again beginning to cry, while Starfire wrapped her arms around Robin's back, her face pressed against his cheek. His own hand slowly rubbed the back of her head, as Robin tried anything he could to comfort Starfire.

__

"Sanza... I'm sorry..." thought Robin, looking back up toward the smoldering mountain. _"I did everything I could to try to help... but you insisted on taking out Slade by yourself... it looks like you succeeded... but there _had _to be another way..."_

None of the Titans were prepared for what they saw next... Red X weakly staggering through the tunnel leading out of the mountain, his head hung low. Beast Boy was the first to see him, and let out a squeal of joy that caused the other Titans, including Starfire, to turn toward the mountain entrance as well.

"SANZA!" cried Starfire happily, running toward Red X with her arms outstretched. Before she could hug him, however, he extended his hand, signaling her to stop. "...you... defeated Slade?"

Robin couldn't believe his eyes... somehow, Red X had managed to escape the blast radius... or even more incredibly, perhaps he'd survived the blast itself. Either way, Red X had survived, and Slade was eradicated...

But the dejected look in X's eyes told a different story.

"Dude... so you escaped the blast?" said Beast Boy, overjoyed to see that Red X hadn't become another Terra like he'd feared. "And Slade is-"

"Probably long gone by now," said Red X, looking around at all the Titans. His voice was a mixture of sadness and anger... mostly anger, anger with himself. "He leapt off the side of the cliff and landed on a ledge, then ran down the first path he saw. He's alive..."

The news that Slade was alive caused Robin's smile to turn into a frown... but it still didn't erase the fact that Red X had survived, which was a good thing... wasn't it?

"I used my blade to carve through the Xynothium... since my blade's made of Xynothium itself, it cut right through," said Red X. "I could've killed Slade, but instead, I threw the bomb off the side just before it exploded."

As much as Red X wanted to kill Slade... he wanted to live even more. Even as he put up the facade of not caring whether he lived or died, the fact of the matter was that as the final seconds of the bomb ticked down, his most basic instincts took over... and he hurled the bomb from the edge of the plateau, putting both Slade and himself out of the blast radius. In the chaos of the explosion, he cut himself an escape path and fled...

Red X was a coward after all.

Robin was stunned... after everything Sanza had said about killing Slade, after all Slade had done to Maddy and Maria... he couldn't go through with finishing the job? Terra had sacrificed herself to save the city... Starfire had nearly sacrificed herself for the team... and Sanza couldn't sacrifice himself to protect his family.

Slade would never stop... Sanza had a chance to end it all, and he completely blew it.

"You... you couldn't do it?" shouted Robin, his voice rising in anger. "You had a chance to kill Slade, and-"

"You know what?" said Red X, cutting Robin off. "I'm not a Teen Titan... and I never will be. I'm not you. You and your friends might be willing to give up their lives for this city, but I'm not like you. So just fuck off, Robin... that goes for all of you."

And without another word, Red X ran back down the path, away from the mountain where he'd lost his chance to end he and his family's long ordeal. He knew exactly as Robin did...

__

"Slade will never stop," thought Red X, running as fast as he could, ashamed at his own cowardice.

Robin stepped forward, opening his mouth to speak... but Starfire's hand clasped gently over Robin's lips, her soft touch quickly calming him.

"Let him go..." said Starfire quietly, watching as Red X disappeared into the trees. "I have a feeling... that we will not be seeing Red X for a very, very long time."

O-O-O

Sanza placed the Red X costume back under his bed, trying to fight back tears. The costume he'd stolen to protect his sister and mother... it had been seconds away from carrying out its ultimate purpose... but because of Sanza's cowardice, the suit had failed. Sanza had failed... and one day, Slade would return to menace both him and his family.

The door creaked open... and Sanza's sister Maddy entered the room, gasping when she saw that Sanza had returned. As soon as he stood up, her arms wrapped around his back in a tight embrace.

"Sanza... I thought something happened... it's nearly ten o'clock, are we still going out for ice cream?"

Sanza nodded.

"Go get ready... I'll be down in a minute or two."

With a giggle, Maddy ran out of the room, dashing down the stairs to put on her jacket. As soon as she left, Sanza walked over to the door, closing it. Then, he walked back over to his bed and pulled out the box containing the Red X costume, opening it and lifting up his mask.

He stared at it for several seconds, climbing up onto his bed and holding up the mask in front of his face.

"I failed," thought Sanza, tears welling up in his eyes. He placed the mask down on his bed and stared at it for several more seconds before turning away, a single tear falling down the side of his face.

As long as Slade was alive, Maddy and Maria were in danger... he would return... he would return for his apprentice...

Sanza had just one chance... one chance to destroy Slade...

__

"I don't deserve the suit... I don't deserve this duty... my promise to dad before he died... I broke that promise... my promise to myself... my duty to Maddy and mom..."

With his head buried in his pillow, Sanza broke down sobbing.

O-O-O

****

THE END


End file.
